Halloween 2020: Halloween Meaning History, Facts And Tradition
October 31st was the day celebrated as the end of the harvest season Samhain. This was considered a magical time between a year, when the ghost of the dead walked the earth.
Halloween Meaning is Hallow or holy person. This is also known as hallowe’en or All Hallows Eve. It is the festival celebrated in many countries on 31th of October every year.
From communication with the Dead to pumpkins, trick – or – treating, carving jack – o – lanterns, festive gathering, donning costumes, eating treats and pranks, Halloween is a patchwork holiday.
The festival is stitched together with religious, mystical traditions and culture that spans from centuries. Know about what is origin of Halloween, Halloween history and much more.
The Dark Halloween Facts: It all began with a CELT a people whose culture had spread across Europe more than 2,000 years ago. Celts is present Ireland, Northern France and the United Kingdom. Halloween is the day that marks the summer end and its harvest and the start of dark, cold winter.
This is the time of year associated with human health. Celt used to celebrate New Year on 1 November and day before 1st November, they used to celebrate Samhain.
October 31st was the day celebrated as the end of the harvest season Samhain. This was considered a magical time between a year, when the ghost of the dead walked the earth. It was the time when the veil between death and life supposed to be the thinnest.
In addition to causing damage to crops, Celts also believed that the presence of spirits on earth made it easier for the Celtic priests to make predictions about the future.
Their way of Halloween celebration was, the villagers used to gather and burn a sacred bonfire. People used to burn crops in it and give sacrifices of animals to please Celtic deities so that they protect them. Later, Roman Empire conquered Celtic territory and then mixing of two cultures took place.
The two festivals of Roman Feralia which were celebrated at the end of October month, that commemorated the passing of the dead, and Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruits and tree (The symbol of Pomona is apple) was mixed with Samhain.
After a few decades, Christianity begins to spread and it covered Celtic as regions as well. In 1000 A.D. the Church announced the festival All Soul’s Day in the honor of Christian Martyrs and 2nd of November was the date fixed for the celebration.
All Soul’s Day was celebrated in the same way as Samhain. It was also called All-hallows, All-hallowmans and Alholowmesse. And gradually Samhain and All-Hallow mixed to become Halloween.
How Did Halloween Came To America?
The entry of Halloween in America is because of the movement of people in Celtic to America and other places. The first celebration of Halloween in America included play parties to celebrate harvest. On this day people use to share the stories of ghost, tell the fortunes of each other, sing and dance.
Later with the education and awareness, the superstitious part Halloween was removed and now what we see is just the aftermath of all that happened in the part.
Samhain And Halloween – The Irish migrants to America brought many holiday customs to America. Apples bobbing and playing tricks on neighbor, wearing masks, burning bonfire are a few activities associated with Samhain, Feralia, Pomona that merged in Halloween.
Halloween Traditions In America – Halloween is the second biggest festival of America after Christmas. It is celebrated among family members, neighbors, friends and relatives. Usually, people hold parties, watch horror movies, creates a haunted house to add fear on the day.
The children dress up in fancy dresses most of the times ghost dresses, and visit neighbor houses for trick or treat. But now, only treat has left. So children ask for eatables, which they easily receive with love.
People also decorate homes with fruits and vegetable creating different faces on it. The Halloween is now more fun than any superstition.