History of Halloween

Find below some interesting information on the history of Halloween, taken from "The Origins of Halloween", by Rowan Moonstone. Teach everyone at your Halloween party about the origins of this popular celebration.

Where does the name "Halloween" come from?

Halloween comes from the ancient Celtic fire festival called "Samhain". The word is pronounced "sow-in", with "sow" rhyming with cow. This Celtic celebration was brought to America by the Irish, modern day descendents of the Celts, who migrated when the potato crop in Ireland failed. The word Samhain comes from Sam + Fuin = end of summer.

What was celebrated on this day?

Samhain is the feast of the dead in Pagan and Christian times, signalizing the close of harvest and the initiation of the winter season, lasting till May. Fairies were imagined as particularly active at this season.

The Celts did not have demons and devils in their belief system. The fairies, however, were often considered hostile and dangerous to humans because they were seen as being resentful of men taking over their lands. On this night, they would sometimes trick humans into becoming lost in the fairy mounds, where they would be trapped forever. A Halloween horror night it was for some, for sure! Since this night belonged neither to one year or the other, Celtic folk believed that chaos reigned and the people would engage in "horseplay and practical jokes". This served also as a final outlet for high spirits before the gloom of winter set in.

The popular "trick or treat" and the Jack-o-lantern traditions can be explained by reviewing the history of Halloween a little further.

Trick or Treating

During this day many people would imitate the fairies and go from house to house begging for treats. Failure to supply the treats would usually result in practical jokes being visited on the owner of the house. Since the fairies were abroad on this night, an offering of food or milk was frequently left for them on the steps of the house, so the homeowner could gain the blessings of the "good folk" for the coming year. Many of the households would also leave out a "dumb supper" for the spirits of the departed.

Jack-O-Lantern

The folks who were abroad in the night imitating the fairies would sometimes carry turnips carved to represent faces. This is the origin of our modern Jack-o-lantern.

Since its origins, Halloween has been a fun day for spooking and making tricks. Keep on celebrating Samhain! Throw a Halloween party and watch out for the fairies!