As the leaves paint the town in shades of fiery orange and the breeze turns brisk, a distinct allure begins to drift through the avenues. It’s that season when spirits, goblins, and enchantresses come to life, and a mystical aura lingers. Indeed, it’s Halloween, a night that bridges borders, cultures, and ages with its mesmerizing mix of spookiness and joy.
In the waning days of October, Halloween manifests as a worldwide sensation that ensnares the minds of many. It’s more than a holiday; it’s a cultural festivity that has stitched itself into society’s heart, attracting individuals with the allure of eerie excitement. This mesmerizing night can summon both time-honored traditions and modern festivities, offering us a mosaic of narratives and rituals that are genuinely captivating.
In this piece, we embark on an odyssey through the roots, traditions, and lasting allure of Halloween, delving into history to uncover the spectral secrets that have crowned it a favorite for many. From the ancient echoes of Samhain to the colorful outfits and luminous jack-o’-lanterns gracing homes, we’ll delve into the myriad aspects that render Halloween an unforgettable, shiver-inducing event.
So, join us at this digital gathering as we disclose the captivating truths and stories of Halloween, an evening where the line between the tangible and the ethereal fades, and where every doorbell ring promises exhilaration and each gourd might be a work of art.
Historical Origins
Halloween is a festivity observed annually on October 31, with Halloween 2023 falling on Tuesday, October 31. The custom finds its roots in the ancient Celtic celebration of Samhain, a time when bonfires were kindled and outfits donned to fend off phantoms. By the eighth century, Pope Gregory III proclaimed November 1 as a day to venerate all saints. Promptly, All Saints Day embraced elements of Samhain. The preceding night became known as All Hallows Eve, subsequently termed Halloween. As years passed, Halloween transformed into an occasion marked by activities like seeking candies, sculpting jack-o-lanterns, festive congregations, wearing disguises, and savoring goodies.
When Is Halloween 2023?
Halloween is celebrated each year on October 31. Halloween 2023 will occur on Tuesday, October 31.
Ancient History of Halloween
Halloween’s roots reach back to the ancient Celtic festivity of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts, who thrived 2,000 years prior, predominantly in regions now known as Ireland, the UK, and northern France, hailed their new year on November 1.
This day signified the cessation of summer and the crops, and the onset of the bleak, frigid winter – a period closely linked with mortality. Celts believed that the veil between the living and the departed thinned on the eve of November 1, celebrating Samhain, a night when the deceased’s specters were thought to walk the earth.
Beyond mere mischief and crop damage, Celts felt the otherworldly beings’ presence enabled the Druids, their priests, to foresee the days ahead. For a civilization so bound to nature’s whims, such auguries provided solace in the impending, shadowy winter.
To mark this occasion, Druids ignited colossal hallowed fires, around which communities congregated to offer crops and livestock to Celtic gods. Amid these rites, the Celts donned costumes, usually of animal pelts, and endeavored to divine their peers’ futures.
Post-festivity, they would reignite their home fires, earlier doused, using flames from the sanctified bonfire, seeking protection for the looming winter.
Did you know? A sizable portion of annual candy sales in the U.S. – about a fourth – is bought for Halloween.
By A.D. 43, the expansive Roman Empire had claimed most of the Celtic domains. Over their four-century reign, two Roman festivals blended with Samhain’s traditional observance.
All Saints’ Commemoration
On May 13, A.D. 609, Pope Boniface IV consecrated the Pantheon in Rome to pay tribute to all Christian martyrs. This act led to the establishment of the Catholic festivity known as All Martyrs Day in the Western ecclesiastical tradition. It was Pope Gregory III who later broadened the celebration to encompass not just martyrs but all saints, and he shifted the date of this observance from May 13 to November 1.
By the time the 9th century rolled around, Christianity had permeated Celtic territories, gradually merging with and eventually overshadowing ancient Celtic practices. In A.D. 1000, the church inaugurated November 2 as All Souls’ Day, setting it aside to remember the departed. There’s a prevailing notion that through this, the church aimed to supplant the Celtic commemoration of the deceased with an analogous, ecclesiastical-approved festivity.
All Souls’ Day bore striking resemblances to Samhain in its celebrations: grand bonfires, processions, and individuals donning attire that represented saints, seraphs, and fiends. The All Saints’ Day observance was also referred to as All-hallows or All-hallowmas (derived from Middle English Alholowmesse signifying All Saints’ Day). Consequently, the eve preceding it, which was traditionally Samhain in Celtic spirituality, began to be termed All-Hallows Eve, which over time morphed into the familiar term, Halloween.
The inaugural was Feralia, a day in October’s twilight, marking the Romans’ remembrance of the deceased. The latter celebrated Pomona, Rome’s fruit and arboreal deity. Pomona’s emblem the apple might elucidate the contemporary Halloween apple-bobbing ritual.
How Did Halloween Start in America?
The celebration of Halloween was extremely limited in colonial New England because of the rigid Protestant belief systems there. Halloween was much more common in Maryland and the southern colonies.
As the beliefs and customs of different European ethnic groups and the American Indians meshed, a distinctly American version of Halloween began to emerge. The first celebrations included “play parties,” which were public events held to celebrate the harvest. Neighbors would share stories of the dead, tell each other’s fortunes, dance, and sing.
Did you know? More people are buying costumes for their pets. Americans spent nearly $500 million on costumes for their pets in 2021—more than double what they spent in 2010.
Colonial Halloween festivities also featured the telling of ghost stories and mischief-making of all kinds. By the middle of the 19th century, annual autumn festivities were common, but Halloween was not yet celebrated everywhere in the country.
In the second half of the 19th century, America was flooded with new immigrants. These new immigrants, especially the millions of Irish fleeing the Irish Potato Famine, helped to popularize the celebration of Halloween nationally.
Gallery: White House Halloweens
Patricia Nixon, wife of then-Vice President Richard Nixon, with her daughters 8-year-old Patricia and 6-year-old Julia on Halloween, 1954. Mrs. Nixon made the costumes herself.
President Kennedy enjoys a laugh with his children Caroline and John Jr. dressed in Halloween costumes, 1963.
Tricia Nixon, daughter of President Nixon, greets guests coming to trick-or-treat at the White House, 1969. The Nixon’s hosted a Halloween party for underprivileged children in the Washington area.
First lady Betty Ford and her secretary dress up a skeleton for Halloween in the President’s chair in his private study, 1974.
President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton dressed as James and Dolley Madison at Hillary’s Halloween costume birthday party at the White House, in 1993.
Vice President Al Gore and Tipper Gore pose for a photo in their elaborate Beauty and the Beast-inspired costumes, 1995.
Four years later, the Gore’s again wowed the White House with their renditions of cartoon characters “Underdog” and “Polly Purebred.”
Even the White House pets join the festivities. Here India, Miss Beazley, and Barney, the pets of George W. Bush, sit for photos on the White House lawn in their Halloween costumes, 2007.
Vice President Dick Cheney’s Labrador retrievers also dressed up that year. Jackson dressed as Darth Vader, and Dave as Superman.
First Lady Michelle Obama greets trick-or-treaters at Obama’s first Halloween at the White House, 2009. They celebrated by inviting students and military families over for some Halloween fun.
History of Trick-or-Treating
Borrowing from European traditions, Americans began to dress up in costumes and go house to house asking for food or money, a practice that eventually became today’s “trick-or-treat” tradition. Young women believed that on Halloween they could divine the name or appearance of their future husband by doing tricks with yarn, apple parings, or mirrors.
In the late 1800s, there was a move in America to mold Halloween into a holiday more about community and neighborly get-togethers than about ghosts, pranks, and witchcraft. At the turn of the century, Halloween parties for both children and adults became the most common way to celebrate the day. Parties focused on games, foods of the season, and festive costumes.
Parents were encouraged by newspapers and community leaders to take anything “frightening” or “grotesque” out of Halloween celebrations. Because of these efforts, Halloween lost most of its superstitious and religious overtones by the beginning of the twentieth century.
Halloween Parties
By the 1920s and 1930s, Halloween had become a secular but community-centered holiday, with parades and town-wide Halloween parties as the featured entertainment. Despite the best efforts of many schools and communities, vandalism began to plague some celebrations in many communities during this time.
By the 1950s, town leaders had successfully limited vandalism and Halloween had evolved into a holiday directed mainly at the young. Due to the high numbers of young children during the fifties baby boom, parties moved from town civic centers into the classroom or home, where they could be more easily accommodated.
Between 1920 and 1950, the centuries-old practice of trick-or-treating was also revived. Trick-or-treating was a relatively inexpensive way for an entire community to share the Halloween celebration. In theory, families could also prevent tricks from being played on them by providing the neighborhood children with small treats.
Thus, a new American tradition was born, and it has continued to grow. Today, Americans spend an estimated $6 billion annually on Halloween, making it the country’s second-largest commercial holiday after Christmas.
Halloween Movies
Speaking of commercial success, scary Halloween movies have a long history of being box-office hits. Classic Halloween movies include the “Halloween” franchise, based on the 1978 original film directed by John Carpenter and starring Donald Pleasance, Nick Castle, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Tony Moran. In “Halloween,” a young boy named Michael Myers murders his 17-year-old sister and is committed to jail, only to escape as a teen on Halloween night and seek out his old home, and a new target. A direct sequel to the original “Halloween” was released in 2018, starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Nick Castle. A sequel to that, “Halloween Kills,” was released in 2021; and a sequel to that, “Halloween Ends,” was released in 2022.
Considered a classic horror film down to its spooky soundtrack, “Halloween” inspired other iconic “slasher films” like “Scream,” “Nightmare on Elm Street” and “Friday the 13.” More family-friendly Halloween movies include “Hocus Pocus,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Beetlejuice” and “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.”
Frankenstein Author Carried Around Her Dead Husband’s Heart
All Souls Day and Soul Cakes
The American Halloween tradition of trick-or-treating probably dates back to the early All Souls’ Day parades in England. During the festivities, poor citizens would beg for food and families would give them pastries called “soul cakes” in return for their promise to pray for the family’s dead relatives.
The distribution of soul cakes was encouraged by the church as a way to replace the ancient practice of leaving food and wine for roaming spirits. The practice, which was referred to as “going a-souling,” was eventually taken up by children who would visit the houses in their neighborhood and be given ale, food, and money.
The tradition of dressing in costume for Halloween has both European and Celtic roots. Hundreds of years ago, winter was an uncertain and frightening time. Food supplies often ran low and, for the many people afraid of the dark, the short days of winter were full of constant worry.
On Halloween, when it was believed that ghosts came back to the earthly world, people thought that they would encounter ghosts if they left their homes. To avoid being recognized by these ghosts, people would wear masks when they left their homes after dark so that the ghosts would mistake them for fellow spirits.
On Halloween, to keep ghosts away from their houses, people would place bowls of food outside their homes to appease the ghosts and prevent them from attempting to enter.
Gallery: Halloween Costumes Through the Ages
In the early 20th century, Halloween costumes were geared toward spooky themes (as opposed to current events) and were mostly homemade. Here, women dressed as witches line up for a Halloween portrait, circa 1910.
Halloween Costumes through the Decades:
The tradition of Halloween costumes has evolved over the years. Originally, the purpose was not to impersonate specific characters or creatures, but rather to mask one’s identity in a haunting manner, bringing to mind images of phantoms, witches, felines, and the moon. This started to change during the Great Depression. Community events like trick-or-treating, haunted houses, and costume parties became popular as a means to deter teenagers from causing mischief.
Box costumes, which were viewed as a luxury during the Great Depression, were beyond the reach of many, leading to a continued tradition of homemade costumes. As the decades progressed, store-bought costumes became more affordable. By the 1950s, these mass-produced outfits started to gain traction. Inspiration for these costumes also began reflecting contemporary events, such as the launch of Sputnik.
The subsequent decades saw an increase in the variety and complexity of costumes. Movie-inspired outfits, especially from blockbusters like Star Wars, became popular. The 1970s, in particular, noticed a trend where presidential masks, especially that of Richard Nixon, became a Halloween staple. Another evolving trend was the commercialization of “sexy” costumes for women.
The late 20th century and early 21st century saw Halloween costumes take cues from horror movies, cementing the likes of Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees as iconic horror figures. Pop culture events, like the O.J. Simpson trial, also influenced costume choices.
Superstitions and Traditions:
Halloween is deeply rooted in mystery, magic, and superstition. Originating as a Celtic festival marking the end of summer, the holiday has always had an element of the supernatural. Over time, the imagery associated with Halloween became more menacing. Modern Halloween involves avoiding black cats and not walking under ladders, both believed to bring bad luck. Older, now lesser-known traditions involved various matchmaking rituals aimed at helping young women identify potential future husbands.
Costumes and Dressing Up:
Halloween costumes have been a significant part of the holiday celebration for ages. Initially, these disguises were worn to fend off malevolent spirits. Today, costumes offer people an opportunity to express their creativity, with many dressing up as popular movie characters, superheroes, and other iconic figures.
Jack-o’-Lanterns:
The tradition of carving jack-o’-lanterns is traced back to an Irish tale about Stingy Jack, a man who tricked the devil and was subsequently denied entry to both heaven and hell. To light his way into limbo, Jack carved a turnip and placed a burning coal inside. The practice of carving faces into turnips or potatoes was popular in Ireland and Scotland. However, upon arriving in America, the Irish found pumpkins more suitable for carving, leading to the modern jack-o’-lantern.
Haunted Houses and Decorations:
Decorating homes with eerie themes and setting up haunted houses is another cherished Halloween tradition. People use various props, like fake spider webs, hanging ghosts, and skeletons, combined with dim lighting, to create a spine-chilling ambiance during the holiday season.
Witchcraft and Folklore:
Halloween celebrated on October 31st, is a festivity marked by costumes, trick-or-treating, and an embrace of the eerie. Its association with supernatural entities like witches and ghosts is rooted in the historical context of witchcraft and folklore. Witchcraft concerns the belief in and use of magic. Historically, witches, believed to possess supernatural powers, were viewed with fear. Folklore, the traditional narratives and beliefs specific to a group, often features such mythical beings. Thus, the nexus between Halloween and supernatural beings is derived from these ancient tales and convictions. The portrayal of witches and ghosts during Halloween, through costumes or decorations, reflects their prominence in folklore and their congruence with the holiday’s spooky vibe.
The Day of the Dead:
Both Halloween and the Mexican celebration, Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, fall at a similar time. Halloween, primarily celebrated in the U.S. on October 31st, is characterized by costumes and trick-or-treating. Dia de los Muertos, observed on November 1st and 2nd, is a heartfelt remembrance of departed loved ones. While both revolve around commemorating the departed, Halloween leans towards entertainment and Dia de los Muertos towards veneration, particularly in the Mexican cultural context.
Cultural Variations:
Halloween celebrations manifest differently worldwide due to cultural variations. In the U.S., the holiday is typified by costumes, trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving, and spooky decor. In contrast, Mexico observes Dia de los Muertos, commemorating the deceased with vibrant altars and processions. Ireland, the birthplace of Halloween, practices “guising”, where children perform tricks for treats. This highlights the intriguing cultural interpretations and practices tied to Halloween globally.
Commercialization, Significance, and Concerns:
Halloween’s commercial side emphasizes the business opportunities it offers. From costume sales to Halloween-themed decorations and an influx of candy purchases for trick-or-treating, the holiday drives considerable commerce.
Today, Halloween stands as a beloved occasion where communities bond, families unite, and friends party. It’s a day of imaginative escapism, where people adorn costumes and engage in trick-or-treating. With homes decked in spooky finery, the festive spirit is palpable.
Yet, Halloween isn’t devoid of issues. Cultural appropriation is a significant concern, where costumes may inadvertently offend by misrepresenting or trivializing cultures. Safety, especially during trick-or-treating, is paramount, necessitating precautions like wearing reflective attire and ensuring adult supervision.
In Conclusion:
Halloween, with its commercial allure, cherished traditions, and inherent concerns, remains a notable occasion in contemporary society. It’s a period of both fun and reflection, ensuring it retains its unique position in the cultural calendar.
Written by Paula Onuoha
