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Halloween Origins &
Traditions
Read this article in French
Halloween: an intriguing and mysterious celebration.
A celebration that goes far beyond American children who go door-to-door for candy!
This celebration is characterized by scary costumes, illuminated pumpkins, delicious treats, and ghost stories that give you chills. But how did this celebration originate, and how has it evolved over time?
Halloween : the origin
The history of Halloween dates back approximately 2,000 years to ancient Celtic celebrations.
The Celts, who lived in what is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and parts of France, marked the end of summer with a festival called Samhain (pronounced sow-wen), which took place on October 31st. Samhain was an important celebration, marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, a time often associated with death.
Seasonal Transition
Samhain was primarily an agricultural festival, marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. It was a time when crops were stored, and herds were brought in from pastures for the winter. The Celts were highly dependent on agriculture, and Samhain was a crucial time for preparing for the challenging winter months.
The Boundaries Between Worlds
For the Celts, Samhain was also a particularly mystical period. They believed that during the night of Samhain, the boundaries between the world of the living and the world of spirits became blurred. It was a time when the spirits of the deceased returned to the Earth. The Celts believed that these spirits could bring both blessings and curses.
Protection Rituals
To protect themselves from malevolent spirits that might wander during Samhain, the Celts lit bonfires. These fires served as guides for wandering souls and deterred evil spirits. Additionally, the Celts dressed in scary costumes made of animal hides and masks to avoid being recognized by the spirits.
Offerings and Divinations
Samhain was also a time for divination, where the Celts sought to pierce the veil between worlds to gain insights into the future. They used methods such as tea leaf reading, divination with nuts, or the tossing of apples into water to interpret the patterns formed by the splashes.
The Christianization of Europe brought significant changes to these ancient Celtic celebrations. In the 7th century, Pope Boniface IV proclaimed November 1st as All Saints’ Day, a Christian holiday dedicated to the commemoration of all the saints. The evening preceding All Saints’ Day, namely October 31st, became All Hallows’ Eve, from which the name « Halloween » originated.
This initiative was partly aimed at Christianizing the ancient Celtic beliefs and diverting attention from pagan customs.
Despite these efforts to Christianize the holiday, many pagan traditions and beliefs from Samhain have survived and been incorporated into how Halloween is celebrated today. For example, the bonfires and Halloween lanterns, known as Jack-o’-lanterns, are inheritances from Celtic protective rituals. The scary costumes harken back to the attire worn by the Celts to blend in with spirits. Ancient divinations have also left their mark on contemporary practices, such as tea leaf reading and fortune-telling using oracles.
Over time, these customs were integrated into the Christian celebration of All Saints’ Day, giving rise to the Halloween holiday as we know it today, with its costumes, carved pumpkins, and spooky traditions.
Les traditions d'Halloween
Halloween costumes are undoubtedly one of the most recognizable traditions of the holiday.
People of all ages dress up as frightening characters, legendary creatures, monsters, and iconic figures from popular culture.
Children, in particular, eagerly anticipate the opportunity to dress up as their favorite heroes or villains.
This tradition has its roots in ancient Celtic customs, where people disguised themselves to deceive malevolent spirits that roamed during Samhain. Today, it’s a chance to unleash creativity and step into a fantastical role, whether as a witch, vampire, zombie, or superhero.
Pumpkin Carving: The hollowing out of pumpkins to create lanterns is another iconic Halloween tradition. These lanterns, known as « Jack-o’-lanterns, » are typically carved to have scary faces, and then a candle is placed inside to illuminate them.
The origin of Jack-o’-lanterns can be traced back to an old Irish legend about a character named Jack, condemned to wander eternally with a lantern. Pumpkins have replaced the turnips and beets originally used to create these lanterns. Hollowed-out pumpkins have become a symbolic representation of Halloween, and their creation is often a fun family activity.
« Trick or Treat » is a highly popular tradition, especially among children.
They dress up and go door-to-door in their neighborhoods, shouting « candy or a spell! » Neighbors are encouraged to give candies, treats, or small surprises to the children to avoid having a « spell » cast on them.
This tradition is both fun and community-oriented, allowing children to go door-to-door in groups, showcase their costumes, and collect a variety of treats. It’s also an opportunity for adults to participate in the celebration by handing out candies to passing children.
No need to go all the way to Disneyland’s haunted mansion for thrills!
During the Halloween season, many homes transform into haunted houses. People decorate their houses with spooky elements such as cobwebs, cardboard ghosts, skeletons, and recorded screams.
Haunted houses are designed to provide visitors with a scary and thrilling experience, featuring dark passages, costumed actors, and jump scares. Haunted houses are a fun way to celebrate the horror and excitement of the season and often attract many visitors.
It’s worth noting that visiting certain cemeteries with a guide on Halloween night can also be an exciting and eerie experience. Chills guaranteed! [Based on a personal experience at the Edinburgh cemetery a few years ago.]
Ghost and horror stories are an important literary and oral tradition at Halloween.
People enjoy sharing scary stories to get their adrenaline pumping and create a sinister atmosphere.
These stories often feature elements of the supernatural, apparitions, haunted houses, and paranormal phenomena.
Horror movies, books, and special Halloween television shows also contribute to this tradition, allowing horror enthusiasts to immerse themselves in terrifying tales.
As Halloween approaches, many television channels and cinemas organize horror movie marathons.
Horror movie enthusiasts gather to watch genre classics, cult films, and new, terrifying releases.
It’s a delightful way to immerse oneself in the Halloween atmosphere and relish the excitement of cinematic horror.
And you, what’s your favorite horror movie? Do you know its original title?
Do you know Halloween vocabulary ? Check in this article !
Enjoy a HOT month !
