Today is Halloween's Day - What does it really mean?

What is Halloween?

Halloween is a yearly celebration observed in a number of countries on October 3. The word was first used in the 16th century and is a shortened version of  the phrase 'All Hallows' Even ('evening')', that is, the night before All Hallows' Day.

How did it start?

Christians say that back in the day they wanted a day to celebrate before the end of the year and October 31 was chosen as the special day. The Christian day of celebration gradually became influenced by western European harvest festivals and festivals of the dead and pagan activities. As time went on, the name was shortened to Halloween. Other people say that Halloween started when Christianity arrived in England and discouraged the pagan festival and changed it into a celebration of the evening before All Saints’ Day - a day to remember all the saints who had died for Christ.

How did it become Halloween's Day?

Many European cultural traditions hold that Halloween is a time when magic is most potent and spirits can make contact with the physical world. Some historians say that the festival has it's roots in the Roman feast of Pomona, the goddess of fruits and seeds, or in the festival of the dead called Parentalia and it is linked to the Celtic festival of  “Samhain", which means "summer's end". It marked the end of summer, beginning of winter and the harvest time.

So what happened next?

The people saw this as a time for preparing for the cold winter ahead -cattle were brought back down from the summer pastures and livestock were slaughtered. Bonfires were lit and there were rituals involving human sacrifice. Divination games or rituals were also done at Samhain.

When it takes place now?

It is held on October 31 in the UK, in  the United States and in the rest of Europe.

Is Halloween a celebration of the dead?

Samhain was seen as a time when the 'door' to the Otherworld opened enough for the souls of the dead, and other beings such as fairies, to come into our world. The souls of the dead were said to revisit their homes on Samhain. Feasts were had and the souls of dead kin invited and a place set at the table for them.

What activities do people do on Halloween's Day?

Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, attending costume parties, carving pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, visiting haunted attractions, playing pranks, telling scary stories, and watching horror films.

How did it become a huge business? 

The commercialization of Halloween started in the 1900s, when postcards and die-cut paper decorations were produced. Halloween costumes started to appear in stores in the 1930s and the custom of 'trick-or-treat' appeared in the 1950s. The types of products available in Halloween style increased with time. Now Halloween is a very profitable holiday for the manufacturers of costumes, yard decorations and candy. It is estimated that businesses will make over $200 billion this year.

Why do people wear costumes?

Wearing costumes may have originated as a means of disguising oneself from these harmful spirits/fairies.

Why do people ask for money?

Long ago, people went about before nightfall collecting for the feasts and sometimes wore costumes while doing so. In Ireland during the 19th, a man dressed as a white mare would lead youths door-to-door collecting food; by giving them food, the household could expect good fortune from the 'Muck Olla'.

Why do people use pumpkin lanterns?

Making jack-o'-lanterns at Halloween may also have sprung from Samhain and Celtic beliefs. Turnip lanterns, sometimes with faces carved into them, were made in the 19th century. As well as being used to light one's way while outside on Samhain night, they may also have been used to represent the spirits/fairies and/or to protect oneself and one's home from them.

How did the festival spread around the world?

Immigrants from Scotland and Ireland took the holiday to the United States. Today it is celebrated all across Europe including Ireland, Scotland, Isle of Man, England, Wales, The Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Spain, Hungary, Switzerland, Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, Croatia, North America, Canada and United States of America, Mexico, Australia, Saint Helena, Central and South America, Colombia, Japan and Hong Kong.

What else do people do?

Halloween is usually celebrated amongst family, friends and, sometimes, co-workers. Parties and other events may be planned on October 31 or in the weekends before and after this date. Adults may celebrate by watching horror films, holding costume parties or creating haunted houses or graveyards.

Many children dress up in fancy costumes and visit their neighbours. At each house, they demand sweets, snacks or a small gift. If they do not get this, they threaten to do some harm to the inhabitants of the house. This is known as playing 'trick-or-treat' and is supposed to happen in a friendly spirit, with no nasty or mean tricks being carried out. However, if your children take part, it is important to accompany them and to check their 'treats' to make sure they are safe to eat or play with.

Some families carve lanterns with 'scary' faces out of pumpkins or other vegetables or decorate their homes and gardens in Halloween style. These were traditionally intended to ward off evil spirits. If you are at home on Halloween, it is a good idea to have a bowl of small presents or sweets to offer to anyone who knocks on your door. This will help you to please the little spirits in your neighbourhood!

One cause that ties with Halloween is collecting donations for the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF). As children trick-or-treat on Halloween night, some of them might carry small cardboard boxes with the UNICEF logo on them and collect coins instead of the usual candy. The money collected is then given to UNICEF and used to help needy children worldwide.

Who celebrates Halloween?

Anyone who wants to have some fun I guess. Many people don't know the background of Halloween so just join in the fun but others decide not to get involved for religious reasons. So make up your mind.

Is it a public holiday?

Halloween is not an official holiday. Government offices and businesses are open as usual and public transit services run on regular schedules. If you drive around in late afternoon or evening, it is important to keep a careful lookout for children who are unaccustomed to being out on the street after dark. If they are wearing dark costumes or masks, they may be less easy to see than normal. They may also be excited and dart out unexpectedly from between vehicles or behind bushes.

What symbols are associated with Halloween?

There are various symbols associated with Halloween. These include the spooks, ghosts and walking skeletons that represent the contact between the spiritual and physical world and between the living and the dead. Human figures that are often represented on Halloween are witches and wizards, who are seen to have the power to contact the spirit world. Bats, black cats and spiders are often connected with this holiday. These animals are associated with the night and darkness and often accompany witches and wizards.

There are also a range of objects associated with Halloween. These include blood, fire, gravestones, pumpkins, bones and skulls. They all have connections with death, the spirit world or protecting property from evil spirits. Many of these objects are now available in stores as decorations for the Halloween season.

How much has it changed over time?

Shops begin to sell Halloween costumes from the beginning of October, children organize parties and adults attend lavish costume parties and watch horror films. People tend to use it as a fun day to dress in a scary way. Others still believe that there is an element of the real horror happening so they keep indoors.

People’s opinion of Halloween?

Halloween is not universally welcomed. Many Christians, along with many followers of Islam and other faiths, dislike its focus on the dark side of the spiritual world. They don't think it is right for children to focus their attention on dressing up as ghosts, witches, skeletons and zombies.

Religious people argue that why should scarred or burnt people be associated with evil? They say there is absolutely no relationship between having a deformed and distorted body and being evil. Being ugly and being wicked are two very separate things.

 Finally, they say that Halloween has a malicious element. In most cases the tricks are fairly harmless, but in some cases they aren’t. Trick or treat is similar to ‘Give me what I want – or else.’ principle.

For Halloween lovers on the other hand, it is a chance for them to have fun, to be someone else for a little while, and to be a kid again, trotting around the neighbourhood and performing tricks for a treat.