Halloween (also spelled Halloween ) is an annual holiday observed on October 31. It has roots in the Celtic polytheism festival of Samhain and the Christian holiday All Saints' Day but is today largely a secular celebration. Common Halloween activities include trick-or-treating wearing Halloween costume and attending Costume party carving jack-o'-lantern , Ghosts in European culture bonfire , apple bobbing visiting haunted attraction , committing prank , telling ghost story or other frightening tales, and watching horror film .

History

Historian Nicholas Rogers, exploring the origins of Halloween, notes that while "some folklorists have detected its origins in the Roman feast of Pomona the goddess of fruits and seeds, or in the festival of the dead called Parentalia it is more typically linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain whose original spelling was Samuin (pronounced sow-anor sow-in".Rogers, Nicholas (2002). "Samhain and the Celtic Origins of Halloween". Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night pp.11–21. New York: Oxford University Press ISBN 0-19-516896-8. The name is derived from Old Irish and means roughly "summers end". A similar festival was held by the ancient Britons (historic) and is known as Calan Gaeaf (pronounced Kálan Gái av. File:Maclise.snap.apple.night.jpg showing a Halloween party in Blarney Ireland in 1832. The young children on the right apple bobbing A couple in the center play a variant, which involves retrieving an apple hanging from a string. The couples at left play divination games.]] The festival of Samhain celebrates the end of the "lighter half" of the year and beginning of the "darker half", and is sometimesRonald Hutton (1996). Stations of the Sun: A History of the Ritual Year in Britain Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-288045-4 regarded as the "Celtic New Year".Kevin Danaher (1972). The Year in Ireland: Irish Calendar Customs pp.190–232. Dublin: Mercier Press ISBN 1-85635-093-2 The ancient Celts believed that the border between this world and the Otherworld became thin on Samhain, allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. The familys ancestors were honoured and invited home while harmful spirits were warded off. It is believed that the need to ward off harmful spirits led to the wearing of costumes and masks Their purpose was to disguise oneself as a harmful spirit and thus avoid harm. In Scotland the spirits were impersonated by young men dressed in white with masked, veiled or blackened faces.Campbell, John Gregorson (1900, 1902, 2005). The Gaelic Otherworld Black, Ronald (Ed.), pp.559–62. Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited ISBN 1-84158-207-7.lt;/ref> Samhain was also a time to take stock of food supplies and slaughter livestock for winter stores. Bonfire played a large part in the festivities. All other fires were doused and each home lit their hearth from the bonfire. The bones of slaughtered livestock were cast into its flames.ODriscoll, Robert (ed.) (1981) The Celtic ConsciousnessNew York, Braziller ISBN 0-8076-1136-0 pp.197–216: Ross, Anne "Material Culture, Myth and Folk Memory" (on modern survivals); pp.217–242: Danaher, Kevin "Irish Folk Tradition and the Celtic Calendar" (on specific customs and rituals) Sometimes two bonfires would be built side-by-side, and people and their livestock would walk between them as a cleansing ritual. Another common practice was divination which often involved the use of food and drink. The name Halloween and many of its present-day traditions derive from the Old English era.Salomonsen, Jone (2002). Enchanted Feminism: Ritual, Gender and Divinity Among the Reclaiming Witches of San Francisco p.190. New York: Routledge ISBN 0-415-22392-X.Ellwood, Robert S; McGraw, Barabara A. (1999). Many Peoples, Many Faiths: Women and Men in The World Religions p. 31. Prentice Hall ISBN 0-13-010735-2Christian, Roy (1967). Old English Customs pp. 40, 110. Hastings House.

Origin of name

The word Halloweenis first attested in the 16th century and represents a Scottish variant of the fuller All-Hallows-Eve that is, the night before All Hallows Day. Although the phrase All Hallowsis found in Old English (ealra hálȝena mæssedæȝ the feast of all saints), All-Hallows-Evenis itself not attested until 1556.lt;/ref>

Symbols

File:Traditional Irish halloween Jack-o'-lantern.jpg Jack-o-lantern from the early 20th century on display in the Museum of Country Life Ireland]] Development of artifacts and symbols associated with Halloween formed over time encompassing customs of medieval holy days as well as contemporary cultures. The souling practice of commemorating the souls in purgatory with candle lanterns carved from rutabaga became adapted into the making of jack-o-lanterns.Rogers, Nicholas (2002). Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night pp.29, 57. New York: Oxford University Press ISBN 0-19-516896-8. In traditional Celtic Halloween festivals, large rutabaga were hollowed out, carved with faces and placed in windows to ward off evil spirits. The carving of pumpkin is associated with Halloween in North America where pumpkins are both readily available and much larger – making them easier to carve than turnips.Skal, David J. (2002). [[Death Makes a Holiday: A Cultural History of Halloween]] p.34. New York: Bloomsbury. ISBN 1-58234-230-X. Many families that celebrate Halloween carve a pumpkin into a frightening or comical face and place it on their doorstep after dark. The American tradition of carving pumpkins preceded Irish Potato Famine (1845–1849) period of Irish immigrationNathaniel Hawthorne, "The Great Carbuncle," in "Twice-Told Tales", 1837: Hide it the great carbuncle] under thy cloak, sayst thou? Why, it will gleam through the holes, and make thee look like a jack-o-lantern! and was originally associated with harvest time in general, not becoming specifically associated with Halloween until the mid-to-late 1800s.As late as 1900, an article on Thanksgiving entertaining recommended a lit jack-o-lantern as part of the festivities. "The Day We Celebrate: Thanksgiving Treated Gastronomically and Socially," The New York Times November 24, 1895, p. 27. "Odd Ornaments for Table," The New York Times October 21, 1900, p. 12.Skal, David J. (2002). Death Makes a Holiday: A Cultural History of Halloween New York: Bloomsbury. p. 32. ISBN 1-58234-230-X. The earliest reference to associate carved vegetable lanterns with Halloween in Britain is Ruth Edna Kelley, The Book of Halloween (1919), Chapter 8, which mentions rutabaga lanterns in Scotland. File:HalloweenSpidersWashington 0388a.jpg ] The image y of Halloween is derived from many sources, including national customs, works of Gothic fiction and horror fiction literature (such as the novels [[Frankenstein]]and [[Dracula]], and classic horror films (such as [[Frankenstein (1931 film)|Frankenstein]]and [[The Mummy (1932 film)|The Mummy]].Rogers, Nicholas (2002). "Halloween Goes to Hollywood". Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night pp. 103–124. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-516896-8. Elements of the autumn season, such as pumpkins, corn husk , and scarecrow , are also prevalent. Homes are often decorated with these types of symbols around Halloween. Halloween imagery includes themes of death evil the occult Magic (paranormal) or mythical monster .Simpson, Jacqueline All Saints Day in Encyclopedia of Death and Dying, Howarth, G and Leeman, O (2001)London Routledge ISBN 0-415-18825-3, p.14 Halloween is closely associated in folklore with death and the supernatural Traditional characters include ghost , witchcraft s, skeleton (undead) , vampire , werewolf demon , bat , and black cat .Hal Siemer, http://www.questmagazine.com/halloween.html "Spooky Halloween: A Celebration of the Dark"], QuestMagazine.com, October 1, 2006. The colours black and orange are associated with the celebrations,Heller, Steven. (2005). Halloween: Vintage Holiday Graphics Taschen Icons series. ISBN 3-8228-4585-X. perhaps because of the darkness of night and the colour of fire, autumn leaves or pumpkins.

Trick-or-treating and guising

Trick-or-treating is a customary celebration for children on Halloween. Children go in costume from house to house, asking for treats such as candy or sometimes money, with the question, "Trick or treat?" The word "trick" refers to a (mostly idle) "threat" to perform mischief on the homeowners or their property if no treat is given. In some parts of Scotland children still go guising. In this custom the child performs some sort of trick, i.e. sings a song or tells a ghost story, to earn their treats.

Costumes

Halloween costumes are traditionally modeled after monsters such as ghosts, skeletons, witches, and devils. Over time, the costume selection extended to include popular characters from fiction, celebrities, and generic archetypes such as ninjas and princesses.

Costume sales

Big research conducted a survey for the National Retail Federation in the United States and found that 53.3 percent of consumers planned to buy a costume for Halloween 2005, spending $38.11 on average (up $10 from the year before). They were also expected to spend $4.96 billion in 2006, up significantly from just $3.3 billion the previous year.lt;/ref> The troubled economy has caused many Americans to cut back on Halloween spending. In 2009, the National Retail Federation anticipated that American households would decrease Halloween spending by as much as 15% to $56.31. lt;/ref>

UNICEF

"Trick-or-Treat for United Nations Children's Fund has become a common sight during Halloween in North America. Started as a local event in a Philadelphia suburb in 1950 and expanded nationally in 1952, the program involves the distribution of small boxes by schools (or in modern times, corporate sponsors like Hallmark Cards at their licensed stores) to trick-or-treaters, in which they can solicit small-change donations from the houses they visit. It is estimated that children have collected more than $118 million for UNICEF since its inception. In Canada, in 2006, UNICEF decided to discontinue their Halloween collection boxes, citing safety and administrative concerns; after consultation with schools, they instead redesigned the program.lt;/ref>lt;/ref>

Games and other activities

File:Halloween-card-mirror-2.jpg from 1904, divination is depicted: the young woman looking into a mirror in a darkened room hopes to catch a glimpse of the face of her future husband.]] There are several games traditionally associated with Halloween parties. One common game is dunking or apple bobbing, in which apples float in a tub or a large basin of water and the participants must use their teeth to remove an apple from the basin.lt;/ref> A variant of dunking involves kneeling on a chair, holding a fork between the teeth and trying to drop the fork into an apple.http://www.kidzworld.com/article/5989-halloween-party-game-ideas/ "Halloween Party Game Ideas"] Kidzworld.com. Retrieved on 2009-03-17. Another common game involves hanging up treacle or syrup-coated scones by strings; these must be eaten without using hands while they remain attached to the string, an activity that inevitably leads to a very sticky face. Some games traditionally played at Halloween are forms of divination. A traditional Scottish form of divining ones future spouse is to carve an apple in one long strip, then toss the peel over ones shoulder. The peel is believed to land in the shape of the first letter of the future spouses name.McNeill, F. Marian (1961, 1990) The Silver Bough Vol. 3. William MacLellan, Glasgow ISBN 0-948474-04-1 pp.11–46 Unmarried women were told that if they sat in a darkened room and gazed into a mirror on Halloween night, the face of their future husband would appear in the mirror. However, if they were destined to die before marriage, a symbols of death would appear. The custom was widespread enough to be commemorated on greeting card lt;/ref> from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The telling of ghost stories and viewing of horror films are common fixtures of Halloween parties. Episodes of television series and Halloween-themed specials (with the specials usually aimed at children) are commonly aired on or before the holiday, while new horror films are often released theatrically before the holiday to take advantage of the atmosphere.

Haunted attractions

File:Ura and ima.jpg Haunted attractions are entertainment venues designed to thrill and scare patrons. Most attractions are seasonal Halloween businesses. Origins of these paid scare venues are difficult to pinpoint, but it is generally accepted that they were first commonly used by the Junior Chamber International (Jaycees) for fundraising.lt;/ref> They include haunted houses, corn maze , and hayride ,lt;/ref> and the level of sophistication of the effects has risen as the industry has grown. Haunted attractions in the United States bring in an estimate $300–500 million each year, and draw some 400,000 customers, although trends suggest a peak in 2005. This increase in interest has led to more highly technical special effects and costuming that is comparable with that in Hollywood films.lt;/ref>

Foods

File:Candyapple.jpg ] Because the holiday comes in the wake of the annual apple harvest, candy apple (known as toffee apples outside North America), Caramel apple are common Halloween treats made by rolling whole apples in a sticky sugar syrup, sometimes followed by rolling them in nuts. At one time, candy apples were commonly given to children, but the practice rapidly waned in the wake of widespread rumors that some individuals were embedding items like pins and Poisoned candy scare Rogers, Nicholas (2002). "Razor in the Apple: Struggle for Safe and Sane Halloween, c 1920–1990," Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night pp. 78–102. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-516896-8. While there is evidence of such incidents,lt;/ref> they are quite rare and have never resulted in serious injury. Nonetheless, many parents assumed that such heinous practices were rampant because of the mass media. At the peak of the hysteria, some hospitals offered free X-rays of childrens Halloween hauls in order to find evidence of tampering. Virtually all of the few known candy poisoning incidents involved parents who poisoned their own childrens candy. One custom that persists in modern-day Ireland is the baking (or more often nowadays, the purchase) of a barmbrack (, which is a light fruitcake, into which a plain ring, a coin and other charms are placed before baking. It is said that those who get a ring will find their true love in the ensuing year. This is similar to the tradition of king cake at the festival of Epiphany (holiday) List of foods associated with the holiday: * Barmbrack (Ireland) * Bonfire toffee (Britain) * Candy apple * Candy corn (North America) * Caramel apple * Caramel corn * Colcannon (Ireland) * Pumpkin, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread * Roasted Pepita * Roasted sweet corn * Soul cake * Novelty candy shaped like skulls, Candy pumpkin bats, worms, etc.

Around the world

Halloween is not celebrated in all countries and regions of the world, and among those that do the traditions and importance of the celebration vary significantly. Celebration in the United States and Canada has had a significant impact on how the holiday is observed in other nations. This larger North American influence, particularly in iconic and commercial elements, has extended to places such as South America, Europe, to Japan under the auspices of the Japanese Biscuit Association, and other parts of East Asia.Rogers, Nicholas (2002). Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night p.164. New York: Oxford University Press ISBN 0-19-516896-8.

Religious perspectives

Christianity

Christian attitudes towards Halloween are quite diverse. In the Anglican Communion some diocese have chosen to emphasize the Christian traditions of All Saints’ Day,lt;/ref>lt;/ref> while some other Protestants celebrate the holiday as Reformation Day a day to remember the Protestant Reformation lt;/ref>lt;/ref> Father Gabriele Amorth, a Roman Curia appointed exorcist in Rome, has said, "if English and American children like to dress up as witches and devils on one night of the year that is not a problem. If it is just a game, there is no harm in that."Gyles Brandreth, "http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/main.jhtml?xml/health/2000/11/03/tldevl03.xml&page1 The Devil is gaining ground]" The Sunday Telegraph(London), March 11, 2000. In more recent years, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston has organized a "Saint Fest" on the holiday. Similarly, many contemporary Protestant churches view Halloween as a fun event for children, holding events in their churches where children and their parents can dress up, play games, and get candy. Many Christians ascribe no negative significance to Halloween, treating it as a purely secular holiday devoted to celebrating "imaginary spooks" and handing out candy. To these Christians, Halloween holds no threat to the spiritual lives of children: being taught about death and mortality, and the ways of the Celtic ancestors actually being a valuable life lesson and a part of many of their parishioners heritage.lt;/ref> In the Roman Catholic Church Halloween is viewed as having a Christian connection,http://www.americancatholic.org/features/halloween/ Halloween’s Christian Roots] AmericanCatholic.org. Retrieved on October 24, 2007. and Halloween celebrations are common in Catholic parochial schools throughout North America and in Ireland. Other Christians feel concerned about Halloween, and reject the holiday because they feel it trivializes - or celebrates - paganism, the occult, or other practices and cultural phenomena deemed incompatible with their beliefs.Halloween: Satans New Year (2006) by Billye Dymally, Halloween: Counterfeit Holy Day(2005) by Kele Gershom, and Halloween: Whats a Christian to Do? (1998) by Steve Russo. An opposing viewpoint is found in The Magic Eightball Test: A Christian Defense of Halloween and All Things Spooky(2006) by Lint Hatcher. A response among some fundamentalist Christianity and conservative evangelical Christianity churches in recent years has been the use of Hell house , themed pamphlets, or comic-style tracts such as those created by Jack T. Chick in order to make use of Halloweens popularity as an opportunity for evangelism.lt;/ref> Some consider Halloween to be completely incompatible with the Christian faithlt;/ref> because of its origin as a pagan "Festival of the Dead . For example, Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate Halloween because they believe anything that originated from a pagan holiday should not be celebrated by true Christians.lt;/ref>

Paganism

Celtic Neopaganism consider the season a holy time of year.lt;/ref> Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism and others who maintain ancestral customs, make offerings to the gods and the ancestors. Some Wicca s feel that the tradition is offensive to Wiccan practitioners for promoting stereotypical caricatures of "wicked witches".lt;/ref>

See also

* All Souls' Day * Day of the Dead * Devil's Night * Ghost Festival * Martinisingen * Qarqe'an * Walpurgis Night

References

Further reading

* Diane C. Arkins, Halloween: Romantic Art and Customs of Yesteryear Pelican Publishing Company (2000). 96 pages. ISBN 1-56554-712-8 * Diane C. Arkins, Halloween Merrymaking: An Illustrated Celebration Of Fun, Food, And Frolics From Halloweens Past Pelican Publishing Company (2004). 112 pages. ISBN 1-58980-113-X * Lesley Bannatyne, Halloween: An American Holiday, An American History Facts on File (1990, Pelican Publishing Company, 1998). 180 pages. ISBN 1-56554-346-7 * Lesley Bannatyne, A Halloween Reader. Stories, Poems and Plays from Halloweens Past Pelican Publishing Company (2004). 272 pages. ISBN 1-58980-176-8 * Phyllis Galembo, Dressed for Thrills: 100 Years of Halloween Costumes and Masquerade Harry N. Abrams, Inc. (2002). 128 pages. ISBN 0-8109-3291-1 * Ruth Edna Kelley, http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/20644 The Book of Halloween] (1919). Free download at Project Gutenberg * Jean Markale, The Pagan Mysteries of Halloween: Celebrating the Dark Half of the Year(translation of Halloween, histoire et traditions, Inner Traditions (2001). 160 pages. ISBN 0-89281-900-6 * Lisa Morton, The Halloween Encyclopedia McFarland & Company (2003). 240 pages. ISBN 0-7864-1524-X * Jack Santino (ed.), Halloween and Other Festivals of Death and Life University of Tennessee Press (1994). 280 pages. ISBN 0-87049-813-4 * Ben Truwe, The Halloween Catalog Collection: 55 catalogs from the golden age of Halloween Medford, Oregon: Talky Tina Press (2003). ISBN 0-9703448-5-6.

External links

* * http://www.imbas.org/articles/samhain.html Samhain: Season of Death and Renewal] – Celtic Studies, Gaelic culture and religion * http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/010511.html U.S. Census data about Halloween in the United States] Category:Halloween Category:Halloween events Category:Christian festivals and holy days Category:Irish culture Category:Irish folklore Category:Neopagan holidays Category:October observances Category:Scottish culture Category:Scottish folklore af:Halloween ang:Ealra Hālgena Ǣfen ar:هالووين bn:হ্যালোউইন bar:Halloween bg:Хелоуин ca:Halloween cs:Halloween cy:Gŵyl Calan Gaeaf da:Allehelgensaften de:Halloween et:Halloween el:Χάλοουϊν es:Halloween eo:Halloween eu:Halloween fa:هالووین fr:Halloween ga:Oíche Shamhna gl:Halloween gu:હેલોવીન ko:할로윈 haw:Heleuī hi:हैलोवीन hr:Noć vještica id:Halloween is:Hrekkjavaka it:Halloween he:ליל כל הקדושים kn:ಹ್ಯಾಲೋವೀನ್‌ ka:ჰელოუინი la:Pervigilium Omnium Sanctorum lv:Visu svēto diena lb:Halloween lt:Helovinas li:Halloween jbo:xalo,uin hu:Halloween mk:Ноќ на вештерките mt:Halloween mr:हॅलोवीन ms:Halloween nah:Halloween nl:Halloween ja:ハロウィン no:Halloween nn:Halloween nrm:Halloween pl:Halloween pt:Dia das bruxas ksh:Halloween ro:Halloween qu:Halloween ru:Хеллоуин sah:Хэллоуин sco:Hallae E'en sq:Halloween simple:Halloween sk:Halloween szl:Halloween sr:Ноћ вештица sh:Noć vještica fi:Halloween sv:Halloween tl:Gabi ng Pangangaluluwa ta:ஆலோவீன் tt:Хэллоуин te:హాలోవీన్ th:วันฮาโลวีน tg:Хеллоуин tr:Cadılar Bayramı uk:Хелловін ur:ہالووین vi:Halloween vls:Halloween zh-yue:萬聖夜 zh:万圣夜