Halloween—where dressing up like a zombie while shoveling candy into your mouth is perfectly acceptable behavior. But how did we get from ancient fire festivals to plastic skeletons and pumpkin spice everything? Spoiler alert: it’s been a long, weird ride.
It All Starts with Samhain: When the Dead Could RSVP
Halloween’s roots trace back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced “Sow-in”) celebrated in Ireland and Scotland around 2,000 years ago. It marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter, aka the “season where everything dies.” Samhain was thought to be a liminal time when the veil between the living and dead was at its thinnest, so people would dress up in spooky costumes—think animal skins and masks—to blend in with any wayward spirits. And if that didn’t work? Some light animal sacrifices or marking doorways with blood would hopefully keep evil spirits away. Good times!
Christian Influence: From Spirits to Saints
By the 9th century, Christianity decided to crash the spooky party. October 31 became “All Hallows’ Eve,” the night before All Saints’ Day on November 1, which honored Christian saints. The church really tried to rebrand Halloween as something holier, but old habits die hard. People still partied with bonfires, costumes, and pranks, blending the sacred with the sinister as smoothly as mixing candy corn into a bowl of M&Ms (which is to say, very awkwardly) (HISTORY) (History Hit).
Trick-or-Treating: A Tale of Treats and Mischief
Wondering why we dress like witches and demand candy from strangers? This part is fascinating. The practice of going door to door dates back to medieval England’s “souling,” where poor people would offer prayers in exchange for soul cakes. Eventually, kids thought, “Skip the praying, just give us the treats!” By the 1930s, prank-loving kids in the U.S. were causing so much mischief that communities had to organize trick-or-treating to keep them from TP’ing every tree in town. Brilliant parenting hack, right? Just bribe them with candy (HISTORY) (Encyclopedia Britannica).
So, Is Halloween Satan’s Holiday?
Despite what your overly concerned aunt might say, Halloween isn’t the devil’s birthday party. While it originated with pagan practices, it has evolved over centuries to become mostly secular. Even the Catholic Church tried to reframe it with All Saints’ Day, though they didn’t exactly succeed in convincing people that saints are more fun than skeletons (Encyclopedia Britannica). Today, churches run everything from haunted houses to trunk-or-treat events, so it seems religion and Halloween have reached some kind of uneasy truce.
Halloween Around the Globe
If you think America invented all the fun, think again. Halloween has spread globally, though customs vary. In Mexico, Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) coincides with Halloween and focuses on honoring deceased loved ones with altars and sugar skulls. In Japan, Halloween has evolved into a massive cosplay extravaganza, while in Ireland—where it all began—they still celebrate with bonfires and spooky games. Clearly, everyone loves a reason to dress weird and party (History Hit) (Encyclopedia Britannica).
So, what’s the moral of the story? If history teaches us anything, it’s that humanity really enjoys dressing up, eating sweets, and outsmarting spirits—whether it’s with soul cakes or Snickers bars. And hey, if you don’t love carving pumpkins or dressing up like a giant hotdog, just tell people you’re celebrating “traditionally” by wearing a spooky mask to confuse ghosts. You’ll sound historically savvy and save yourself from scooping out pumpkin guts.
Enjoy the spooky season responsibly—or irresponsibly, your call. 🎃
