From Dead to the Living, a History of Halloween.

Photo Credit: http://www.thecdr.org/

Jack-O-Lanterns and haunted houses start appearing on every street corner when October comes around. Spooky happenings are a sure thing with creepy costumes and candy corn sprouting around the city. This is one holiday sure to not disappointed those who love a scare.

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October 15, 2012 • Braydon Galvan, Reporter
Filed under Student Life

Falling between fall and winter, Halloween is a time for celebration and a time for the paranormal. Originating from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in), the Celts believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to the earth. The supernatural connection during this time, led the Celts to believe it was easier for the Druids, or priests, to make their predictions of the future.

The Druids built huge bonfires, where the Celts would gather to present their sacrifices to the Celtic deities. After the celebration, they relit their fires of the hearth from the sacred bonfire to help protect them for the coming winter.

Halloween, first named all-hallows eve was named after the Christian celebration of All Saints’ Day, which came from the Middle English Alholowmesse. All Saints’ Day was typically celebrated on November 1^st, thus giving the name of All Hallows eve, because the holiday was celebrated the night before.

Because of the strict Protestant religion, Halloween was not very popular during the colonial times in New England. However, Halloween was much more common in the Southern colonies. Their celebrations centered around community parites and the telling of ghost stories and fortunes.

By the early 1950’s, Halloween had evolved more into a community event focused on the children, which were numerous due to the baby boom of the fifties. The celebration was presented in the homes and classrooms. Children would go from door to door receiving small treats. Halloween has continued to grow since. Americans spend an estimated 6 billion annually on Halloween, giving it the title of our nations second largest commercial holiday.

Halloween has evolved from the superstition and fear of the past into a lively celebration of the present.

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