- History of Halloween. Halloween is celebrated on October 31st, always, and is officially known as an "Observance", rather than a "Holiday".
- Facts about Halloween. In addition to black cats, bats and owls, evil spirits, witches, rituals, and vampires are all associated with the darker side of Halloween.
- Fun Places to visit during Halloween
- Halloween Quotes. Halloween was confusing. All my life my parents said, "Never take candy from strangers." And then, they dressed me up, and said, "Go beg for it."
- Halloween Topics. There are additional topics related to Halloween that we will have devoted pages on, with more detail.
Are there countries that don't celebrate Halloween?
Syrians, Lebanese, Palestinians, Jordanian and Turkish (Hatay) Christians in the Levant don't celebrate Halloween because it's a pagan holiday, however, they do celebrate Eid il Burbara (Feast Day of Saint Barbara.)Barbara and her father Disocorus, a wealthy man lived in Heliopolis, Phonecia or modern-day Baalbek, Lebanon.
When will Halloween be celebrated?
Halloween is an annual holiday celebrated each year on October 31. The history behind it and its costumes originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain before the holiday found its way to ...
Is celebrating Halloween a sin?
Sin is wrong. So any Halloween activities that involve sin are automatically wrong. Sexual immorality, drunkenness, mischief, etc. The Bible also condemns witchcraft and sorcery, so these things must be avoided as well. Then there is possibly the topic of glorification of death and horror. These things I avoid as well.
What is Halloween and how is it celebrated?
Halloween is celebrated on October 31 every year commemorating the eve of All Saints Day in Western countries such as the United Kingdom (UK), Ireland, Scotland, United States of America and various European countries. The day is marked with spooky festivities and is celebrated with much fervour across the world.
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Is Halloween a pagan holiday?
Halloween may be a secular affair today, dominated by candy, costumes and trick-or-treating, but the holiday is rooted in an annual Celtic pagan festival called Samhain (pronounced "SAH- wane") that was then appropriated by the early Catholic Church some 1,200 years ago.
Is Halloween religious or cultural holiday?
Halloween is thought to have roots in Christian beliefs and practices. The English word 'Halloween' comes from "All Hallows' Eve", being the evening before the Christian holy days of All Hallows' Day (All Saints' Day) on 1 November and All Souls' Day on 2 November.
Is Halloween religious or secular?
secular holidayHalloween is a secular holiday, like Valentine's Day or Thanksgiving, meaning it's not associated with any particular religion.
What is the real meaning of Halloween?
Halloween, contraction of All Hallows' Eve, a holiday observed on October 31, the evening before All Saints' (or All Hallows') Day. The celebration marks the day before the Western Christian feast of All Saints and initiates the season of Allhallowtide, which lasts three days and concludes with All Souls' Day.
What culture celebrates Halloween?
Ancient Origins of Halloween Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago, mostly in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1.
What religion did Halloween come from?
Yet, the Halloween holiday has its roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (a Gaelic word pronounced “SAH-win”), a pagan religious celebration to welcome the harvest at the end of summer, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts.
What religion did Halloween come from?
Yet, the Halloween holiday has its roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (a Gaelic word pronounced “SAH-win”), a pagan religious celebration to welcome the harvest at the end of summer, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts.
Is Halloween a Catholic holiday?
Halloween is a religious holiday belonging to the Roman Catholic Church. Yes, that seems strange, what with the modern renditions of dancing skeletons and black cats and witches riding broomsticks. The holiday is “All Hallows Day” (or “All Saints Day) and falls on Nov. 1.
What is Halloween?
Halloween is a holiday that marks the day before the Western Christian feast of All Saints, or All Hallows, and initiates the season of Allhallowti...
When is Halloween?
Halloween is celebrated on October 31.
Where did Halloween come from?
Halloween may have developed partially from the pre-Christian holiday Samhain, which was celebrated in early medieval Ireland around November 1 as...
How is Halloween celebrated?
Halloween is celebrated with pranks, parties, costumes, and trick-or-treating. People also often carve faces out of pumpkins.
How did Halloween become popular in the United States?
European immigrants to the United States in the 19th century brought Halloween customs with them and helped popularize the holiday. By the 20th cen...
Would moving Halloween to a Saturday make the holiday safer for children?
Some would like to see Halloween held on a Saturday for safety reasons. Others, however, point out that the U.S. federal government does not have t...
When did Halloween become a holiday?
It was not until after mass Irish and Scottish immigration in the 19th century that Halloween became a major holiday in America. Most American Halloween traditions were inherited from the Irish and Scots, though "In Cajun areas, a nocturnal Mass was said in cemeteries on Halloween night. Candles that had been blessed were placed on graves, and families sometimes spent the entire night at the graveside". Originally confined to these immigrant communities, it was gradually assimilated into mainstream society and was celebrated coast to coast by people of all social, racial, and religious backgrounds by the early 20th century. Then, through American influence, these Halloween traditions spread to many other countries by the late 20th and early 21st century, including to mainland Europe.
Why is Halloween celebrated on October 31?
Halloween is the evening before the Christian holy days of All Hallows' Day (also known as All Saints' or Hallowmas) on 1 November and All Souls' Day on 2 November, thus giving the holiday on 31 October the full name of All Hallows' Eve (meaning the evening before All Hallows' Day). Since the time of the early Church, major feasts in Christianity (such as Christmas, Easter and Pentecost) had vigils that began the night before, as did the feast of All Hallows'. These three days are collectively called Allhallowtide and are a time for honoring the saints and praying for the recently departed souls who have yet to reach Heaven. Commemorations of all saints and martyrs were held by several churches on various dates, mostly in springtime. In 609, Pope Boniface IV re-dedicated the Pantheon in Rome to "St Mary and all martyrs" on 13 May. This was the same date as Lemuria, an ancient Roman festival of the dead, and the same date as the commemoration of all saints in Edessa in the time of Ephrem the Syrian.
What are some fun things to do on Halloween?
Halloween activities include trick-or-treating (or the related guising and souling ), attending Halloween costume parties, carving pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, divination games, playing pranks, visiting haunted attractions , telling scary stories, and watching horror or Halloween-themed films. For some people, the Christian religious observances of All Hallows' Eve, including attending church services and lighting candles on the graves of the dead, remain popular, although it is a secular celebration for others. Some Christians historically abstained from meat on All Hallows' Eve, a tradition reflected in the eating of certain vegetarian foods on this vigil day, including apples, potato pancakes, and soul cakes.
What is the Samhain festival?
Samhain was one of the quarter days in the medieval Gaelic calendar and was celebrated on 31 October – 1 November in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. A kindred festival was held by the Brittonic Celts, called Calan Gaeaf in Wales, Kalan Gwav in Cornwall and Kalan Goañv in Brittany; a name meaning "first day of winter". For the Celts, the day ended and began at sunset; thus the festival began the evening before 1 November by modern reckoning. Samhain is mentioned in some of the earliest Irish literature. The names have been used by historians to refer to Celtic Halloween customs up until the 19th century, and are still the Gaelic and Welsh names for Halloween.
Why is Halloween called Halloween?
Halloween is thought to have roots in Christian beliefs and practices. The name 'Halloween' comes from "All Hallows' Eve", being the evening before the Christian holy days of All Hallows' Day (All Saints' Day) on 1 November and All Souls' Day on 2 November. Since the time of the early Church, major feasts in Christianity (such as Christmas, Easter and Pentecost) had vigils that began the night before, as did the feast of All Hallows'. These three days are collectively called Allhallowtide and are a time for honoring the saints and praying for recently-departed souls who have yet to reach Heaven. Commemorations of all saints and martyrs were held by several churches on various dates, mostly in springtime. In 4th-century Roman Edessa it was held on 13 May, and on 13 May 609, Pope Boniface IV re-dedicated the Pantheon in Rome to "St Mary and all martyrs". This was the date of Lemuria, an ancient Roman festival of the dead.
What is the origin of the word "Halloween"?
Etymology. The word appears as the title of Robert Burns ' " Halloween " (1785), a poem traditionally recited by Scots. The word Halloween or Hallowe'en dates to about 1745 and is of Christian origin. The word "Hallowe'en" means " Saints' evening".
How much money do people spend on Halloween?
This is up from an estimated $200 million in 2010. The most popular costumes for pets are the pumpkin, followed by the hot dog, and the bumble bee in third place.
Holiday or celebration?
The distinction between holiday and celebration is loose, but those who argue that Halloween is a celebration point to the fact it is not an official religious or federal holiday—US employers do not compensate workers for Halloween, and it finds no recognition in any Christian denomination.
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What is the celebration of Halloween?
Halloween is celebrated with pranks, parties, costumes, and trick-or-treating.
When is Halloween?
Learn about the origin of Halloween. Learn about Halloween. Halloween, contraction of All Hallows’ Eve, a holiday observed on October 31, the evening before All Saints’ (or All Hallows’) Day. The celebration marks the day before the Western Christian feast of All Saints and initiates the season of Allhallowtide, ...
What is Halloween associated with?
As a secular holiday, Halloween has come to be associated with a number of activities. One is the practice of pulling usually harmless pranks. Celebrants wear masks and costumes for parties and for trick-or-treating, thought to have derived from the British practice of allowing the poor to beg for food, called “soul cakes.” Trick-or-treaters go from house to house with the threat that they will pull a trick if they do not receive a treat, usually candy. Halloween parties often include games such as bobbing for apples, perhaps derived from the Roman celebration of Pomona. Along with skeletons and black cats, the holiday has incorporated scary beings such as ghosts, witches, and vampires into the celebration. Another symbol is the jack-o’-lantern, a hollowed-out pumpkin, originally a turnip, carved into a demonic face and lit with a candle inside. Since the mid-20th century the United Nations Children’s Fund ( UNICEF) has attempted to make the collection of money for its programs a part of Halloween.
What happened to Halloween in the Middle Ages?
By the end of the Middle Ages, the secular and the sacred days had merged. The Reformation essentially put an end to the religious holiday among Protestants, although in Britain especially Halloween continued to be celebrated as a secular holiday.
What are some Halloween games?
Halloween parties often include games such as bobbing for apples, perhaps derived from the Roman celebration of Pomona. Along with skeletons and black cats, the holiday has incorporated scary beings such as ghosts, witches, and vampires into the celebration.
Where did Halloween originate?
Halloween had its origins in the festival of Samhain among the Celts of ancient Britain and Ireland. On the day corresponding to November 1 on contemporary calendars, the new year was believed to begin. That date was considered the beginning of the winter period, the date on which the herds were returned from pasture and land tenures were renewed. During the Samhain festival the souls of those who had died were believed to return to visit their homes, and those who had died during the year were believed to journey to the otherworld. People set bonfires on hilltops for relighting their hearth fires for the winter and to frighten away evil spirits, and they sometimes wore masks and other disguises to avoid being recognized by the ghosts thought to be present. It was in those ways that beings such as witches, hobgoblins, fairies, and demons came to be associated with the day. The period was also thought to be favourable for divination on matters such as marriage, health, and death. When the Romans conquered the Celts in the 1st century ce, they added their own festivals of Feralia, commemorating the passing of the dead, and of Pomona, the goddess of the harvest.
What was the festival of Feralia?
When the Romans conquered the Celts in the 1st century ce, they added their own festivals of Feralia, commemorating the passing of the dead, and of Pomona , the goddess of the harvest. Halloween festival in Londonderry, Ulster, Northern Ireland.
What is Halloween?
As it exists today in the United States, Halloween is a holiday when we can all indulge in the darker, creepier side of life and eat loads of candy. It’s a lot of fun, a little spooky, and anything but serious. Historically, however, the holiday was religious in nature and extremely significant to the culture of the people who celebrated it.
Why is Halloween celebrated?
Starting around 2,000 years ago, the three-day pagan religious festival began around October 31 to honor the harvest and prepare for the “the dark half of the year.” The ancient Celts believed that on this day, the line between the living and the spiritual realm was blurred—meaning that ghosts from beyond could visit the living and monsters could find their way into people’s houses.
Why do we celebrate Halloween on October 31?
Halloween origin traces back to Gaelic and Celtic rituals dating back at least 2,000 years and it is from these we get the date and many of the ways we celebrate it.
How has Halloween changed to what it is today?
By the 1930s, Halloween became almost completely secularized, while All Saints’ Day became more of a religious holiday. To this day, some devout people are strictly against celebrating October 31 as anything other than a religious day.
How much money did Americans spend on Halloween 2018?
In fact, Americans were expected to spend $9 billion on Halloween in 2018, a number that continues to increase each year. So how is Halloween celebrated these days? You can probably answer that question yourself: with costumes, parties, toys, and candy showing up in stores earlier and earlier every year.
Why was Halloween so popular in the early colonies?
Halloween was a tough sell in early colonial America because of the new population’s strict religious beliefs, but it was more commonly celebrated in Maryland and the South. And as the Europeans mingled with the Native Americans, traditions evolved even further.
Why did Christianity add to Halloween?
Why? To help further the transition from paganism to Catholicism. And it worked. All Souls’ Day embraced many of Samhain’s celebrations, including bonfires, parades, and costumes—though now people mainly dressed up as saints, angels, and devils.
Where did Halloween originate?
What is the origin of Halloween? According to this article, many believe it began with the ‘Summer’s End’ festival, or Samhain celebrated 2,000 years ago as the beginning of the Celtic year. During this festival time, Celtic farmers brought livestock in for the winter and harvested their crops. They sacrificed fruits of the harvest and the best of their flocks to appease pagan gods.
Why do churches celebrate Halloween?
Churches can use Halloween as a time to build community, to show compassion and to share the message of Christ. Our church celebrates “Boogers and Halloweenies,” where communities in our area hold cookouts and free food for neighbors, while sharing the Good News of Christ.
How Should Christians Handle Halloween?
First, I believe it is the choice of the Christian parent to allow or disallow children to participate in the festivities. If the children are old enough to understand, I think it’s appropriate to explain the pagan roots of Halloween. It’s a great opportunity to teach what the Bible says about the finality of death, the promise of heaven through Jesus, and the hope of resurrection.
What is the purpose of All Souls Day?
Richert, content manager for Sunday Visitor, the largest Catholic publishing company, writes that the purpose of All Souls Day is to pray people out of purgatory by prayer, almsgiving and the Mass.
What is the tradition of trick or treating?
Trick-or-Treating also began during Samhain. The tradition was an ancient custom of “ souling .” The poor would go from house to house to beg for soul cakes. In return for the “soul cakes” the beggars would pray for family members who had recently died. Soul cakes were round loaves of bread filled with currants.
Why did the Celts dress up in scary costumes?
The Celts were highly superstitious and thought these evil spirits could damage crops, possess the living, and spread incurable sickness. That’s why they dressed up in scary costumes and animal hides while hovering in fear around bonfires.
When was All Saint's Day moved to November?
In 800 A.D., the Catholic church moved “All Saint’s Day” from Spring to November 1. Hallow’s Mass is November 1, and All Saint’s Day is November 2. One would think this Catholic celebration would be an opportunity to Christianize Halloween, but it is not.
What Halloween means?
So basically, Halloween is just an old-fashioned way of saying “the night before All Saints’ Day” — also called Hallowmas or All Hallows’ Day.
What is the day after Halloween called?
Today is All Saints’ Day — traditionally also known as All Hallows’ Day or Hallowmas. All Saints’ Day remains, for many Christians, a feast day , on which we celebrate the Communion of All Saints. These saints are, but also are far more than, the saints you may know — St.
Is it a sin to celebrate Halloween?
In understanding whether celebrating Halloween is a sin , we have to know that it based on both pagan and Catholic traditions of connecting with the dead in hopes to gain power, in the pagan tradition, or to make intersession, in the Catholic tradition. But, this scripture makes clear that neither is possible.
What religion is against Halloween?
Jehovah’s Witnesses also forbid members from celebrating Halloween, but many faiths, such as Mormonism, Hinduism (which has its own fall holiday, Diwali), and Buddhism leave it up to individual members to decide whether they want to celebrate Halloween.
What is All Hallows Eve Catholic?
All Hallows ‘ Eve falls on 31st October each year, and is the day before All Hallows ‘ Day, also known as All Saints’ Day in the Christian calendar. The name derives from the Old English ‘hallowed’ meaning holy or sanctified and is now usually contracted to the more familiar word Hallowe’en.
Is All Saints Day the same as Day of the Dead?
The Day of the Dead This day is also known as All Hallows’ Day , Hallowmas, or the Feast of All Saints . Eastern Christians celebrate this holiday on the first Sunday after Pentecost. This holiday is also a holy day of obligation in Catholicism.
Is Halloween religious?
Halloween is a religious holiday belonging to the Roman Catholic Church. The holiday is “All Hallows Day” (or “All Saints Day) and falls on Nov.
When is Halloween?
Many of you could be already aware that Halloween falls on October 31. However, not many people know that early European celebrators called it All Hallows’ Eve. All Hallows’ Eve and All Saints’ Day, which falls a day later (November 1), paid homage to saints. Eventually, the day is called Halloween, which we all love and know to this day.
Why do we celebrate Halloween on October 31?
We celebrate Halloween on October 31 as Samhain, an ancient Greek festival that occurred on the same day. It was a crucial time of year as seasons changed. However, observers believed that the boundary between this universe and the next became narrow at this time. Thus, they could connect with people who were no more in this world.
What is the origin of Halloween?
Its history dates back to the time when people celebrated a pagan festival called Samhain. The word Halloween means hallowed evening and comes from All Hallows’ Eve. Centuries ago, people went from door-to-door dressed as saints. That’s how the tradition of trick-or-treating and Halloween costumes started.
Why did the Celts wear strange costumes?
Although much detail is not available about those celebrations, several believers feel the Celts wore strange costumes to disguise themselves against ghosts. They made lanterns out of gourds and relished special feasts to mark the day.
Is Halloween old?
Irrespective of your age or gender, All Hallows’ Eve or Halloween will never become old. The little ones in the family get an opportunity to dress up, and their parents enjoy the chance to sip on a special Halloween cocktail.
What is the significance of Halloween?
It was the time to placate the supernatural powers controlling the processes of nature. In addition, Halloween was thought to be the most favorable time for divinations concerning marriage, luck, health, and death. It was the only day on which the help of the devil was invoked for such purposes.” (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2005, "Halloween")
What is the origin of Halloween?
Halloween and its roots in witchcraft and Druidic paganism are undeniable. When we examine the history of Halloween, one thing we find out very quickly is that it is based on the ancient pagan religion of the Celtics in Northern Ireland and their celebration of the festival of the dead, known as Samhain. In Northern Ireland, a class of ruthless ...
What is the Church of Satan's Halloween?
The official website for the Church of Satan states on their FAQ page that Halloween is a time when the masses “reach down inside and touch the ‘darkness’ which for [us] Satanists is a daily mode of existence,” as they may freely “indulge their fantasies by donning costumes that allow for intense role-playing and the release of their demonic core.” ( Source)
Why did the Celts celebrate Samhain?
The eve of Samhain marked the special time of the year when the Druids taught that demons, souls and gods were unleashed on the world to bring blessing or wreak havoc and destruction on unsuspecting souls.
When is the Harvest Festival in Blessed Hope Chapel?
At Blessed Hope Chapel, where I serve as Pastor, we celebrate the Lord and His winning of souls in a Harvest Festival on October 31st each year.
Who said Samhain was Celtic?
According to Ronald Hutton in The Stations of the Sun: A History of the Ritual Year in Britain, ‘Samhain’ referred to Celtic Halloween customs all the way up until the 19th century (Hutton, Ronald, The Stations of the Sun: A History of the Ritual Year in Britain, New York: Oxford University Press, 1996, p. 369)
Does Ireland celebrate Halloween?
Today, Ireland celebrates Halloween with fireworks displays and is the only nation on earth that recognizes Halloween as a national holiday. Children in Ireland are given a week off from school for its observance.
Overview
History
Halloween is thought to have roots in Christian beliefs and practices. The English word 'Halloween' comes from "All Hallows' Eve", being the evening before the Christian holy days of All Hallows' Day (All Saints' Day) on 1 November and All Souls' Day on 2 November. Since the time of the early Church, major feasts in Christianity (such as Christmas, Easter and Pentecost) had vigils that began t…
Etymology
The word Halloween or Hallowe'en dates to about 1745 and is of Christian origin. The word Hallowe'en means "Saints' evening". It comes from a Scottish term for All Hallows' Eve (the evening before All Hallows' Day). In Scots, the word eve is even, and this is contracted to e'en or een. Over time, (All) Hallow(s) E(v)en evolved into Hallowe'en. Although the phrase "All Hallows'" is found in Ol…
Symbols
Development of artifacts and symbols associated with Halloween formed over time. Jack-o'-lanterns are traditionally carried by guisers on All Hallows' Eve in order to frighten evil spirits. There is a popular Irish Christian folktale associated with the jack-o'-lantern, which in folklore is said to represent a "soul who has been denied entry into both heaven and hell":
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" implies a "threat" to perform mischief on the homeowners or their property if no treat is given. The practice is said to have roots in the medieval practice of mumming, …
Costumes
Halloween costumes were traditionally modeled after figures such as vampires, ghosts, skeletons, scary looking witches, and devils. Over time, the costume selection extended to include popular characters from fiction, celebrities, and generic archetypes such as ninjas and princesses.
Dressing up in costumes and going "guising" was prevalent in Scotland and Ire…
Games and other activities
There are several games traditionally associated with Halloween. Some of these games originated as divination rituals or ways of foretelling one's future, especially regarding death, marriage and children. During the Middle Ages, these rituals were done by a "rare few" in rural communities as they were considered to be "deadly serious" practices. In recent centuries, these divination games have been "a common feature of the household festivities" in Ireland and Britai…
Haunted attractions
Haunted attractions are entertainment venues designed to thrill and scare patrons. Most attractions are seasonal Halloween businesses that may include haunted houses, corn mazes, and hayrides, and the level of sophistication of the effects has risen as the industry has grown.
The first recorded purpose-built haunted attraction was the Orton and Spoone…