The History of Halloween

“Halloween in Irish Folklore”/ Colm Moloney/http://irisharchaeology.ie/2015/10/halloween-in-irish-folklore/ /

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“Halloween in Irish Folklore”/ Colm Moloney/http://irisharchaeology.ie/2015/10/halloween-in-irish-folklore/ /

Halloween is a holiday celebrated all over the world, but not many people actually know where it came from. Halloween originated as an ancient Celtic holiday called Samhain, which was to honor the dead and mark the end of harvest season. They also believed that on this day fortune tellers in the tribe could better tell the future of someone.

Halloween costumes are also a tradition from Samhain where people would dress as demons and monsters to keep away spirits. It was believed that on that night the barrier between the living and dead worlds disappeared. Because of this, the spirits could cross over to the living world for that night.

Later in the Eighth Century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 to honor all saints. They would then incorporate different traditions from the Samhain festival, and all this would happen on the night before November 1st. It was called All Hallows Eve.  

The celebration of Halloween in the American colonies was rarely found as it was mostly forgotten in their traditions. Halloween was only majorly celebrated all over the United States after the Potato Famine in Ireland, with all of the millions of Irish coming into America to spread the tradition of Halloween.

Now when Halloween is celebrated most people think about dressing in costumes and going trick or treating. Although it is not the same as it was thousands of years ago, Halloween is still celebrated and a favorite all over the world.