The History of Halloween
The History of Halloween
Halloween has become one of the most popular annual festivals in a number of countries around the world. Both children and adults often take part in activities such as trick-or-treating, throwing fancy-dress parties and visiting Halloween-themed attractions. However, many people are unaware of the history of this intriguing festival.
It is, perhaps, no surprise that the origins of this event are sometimes forgotten – modern-day celebrations are often far removed from ancient Halloween traditions. Existing events are often simply given a Halloween-themed makeover on 31st October each year, as are many websites. Gaming sites, such as Cheeky Bingo, might put out festive games, for example. Of course, these simply a contemporary take on an age-old tradition.
Although there are a number of theories regarding the origins of Halloween, one of the most popular ideas is that it derived from the Celtic festival of Samhain, whose original spelling was Samuin. The name is thought to be taken from the Scottish celebration, All-Hallows-Even (‘evening’) – that is, the night before All Hallows Day.
However, the wearing of costumes to celebrate this festival can be seen to date back to the Middle Ages, when many people practised ‘souling’. Souling involved poor members of society going from door to door, receiving food in return for prayers for the dead. For this event, many would take with them turnips which were carved into lanterns to signify the souls held in purgatory. Nowadays, pumpkins are more commonly used.
Whilst today’s Halloween celebrations might have relatively little in common with the historic origins of this festival, it is still great to remember the significance of what is almost certainly the spookiest of modern-day festivals.