I still remember my first Halloween party. Spider webs dangled from the ceiling, spooky ghost decorations hung on the balcony, candle lights shone dimly to provide an eerie ambience, and I got to taste some of the most delicious treats my 12 year old self could stomach. It was a big celebration; all of my cousins were there and we all enjoyed our antics and horror stories, during the most fun night of the year (alongside Christmas, of course). Trick-or-treating was an essential part of the festivities, and I’ll never forget how many people were laughing and sharing companionship, even if they were total strangers. Maybe it’s the costumes that transform any person into a fantasy come to life, maybe it’s the candy that jumpstarts your mood or, perhaps, it’s just a testimony of our desire to embrace the darkest meanings in reality. After all, Halloween makes light of the most horrifying experiences that people may or may not have encountered (which I’ll discuss more in depth in another article). But even though there’s a lot of us that absolutely love Halloween, it still holds a taboo aspect in our society. What I call a lively celebration where we hold each other tight and scream our lungs out while being spooked out by John in a zombie costume, other people call it “devil worship” or “witchcraft” (although if you identify as a witch, that’s awesome too). So in order to dispel some myths, I want to trace it back to its origins. I still mourn my little scary decorations that were tossed out by misinformation, but I’ll make-do with my fake potions and my black, spine-chilling Victorian lamp (thanks Mom, I still love you though!).
House fully decorated for Halloween.
Retrieved from TheWorldNews.
Halloween dates back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. 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 1st. This day marked the beginning of the dark, cold winter, which is often associated with human death and the supernatural. Celtic people believed that, on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred; hence on the night of October 31st, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the spirits of the dead returned to the material world. How did they react to this belief, you might ask? Well, a nameless History Channel author and editor already found out and they wrote as follows regarding the remembrance of the festival: “To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities. During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other’s fortunes. When the celebration was over, they re-lit their hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter.” Sounds familiar, right? Moreover, in the eighth century, Pope Gregory III established that on November 1st it would be the best time to honor all catholic saints. Soon, All Saints’ Day incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before was known as “All Hallows Eve”. With time, many people from these countries relocated to other parts of the world, including America. The tradition spread and became commercialized to what is known today as “Halloween”.
2021: Halloween/Samhain commemoration in Ireland.
Image retrieved from Rove.
1950’s: Mass produced box costumes became affordable.
Image retrieved from Lambert/Getty Images.
Hopefully, I managed to relieve some anxiety after the little history recount. Halloween should be enjoyed by everyone, big or small, old and young, religious or not. You can throw a spooky party like we did, go trick-or-treating or even just watch some horror movies while eating candy, all cuddled up with your loved ones. It’s a celebration that can bring us all together, like Christmas usually does. It’s all a matter of perspective with a sprinkle of creativity. Use as many decorations as you like, put on that cute skeleton costume you’ve been eyeing up for a while, prank somebody with a mask (nothing extreme though, we’re law abiding citizens), and if someone tries to discourage you, inform them what you just learned. Ultimately, the best and most fun part of Halloween is turning your house into a haunted mansion for a night.