Halloween is a delightful holiday for children, widely celebrated in the United States. Children dress up in colorful costumes, and go door to door chanting "trick or treat", and are usually rewarded with candy. Homes are decorated with pumpkin jack-o-lanterns, witches, skeletons, and ghosts.
Nobody really knows exactly how Halloween and it's various traditions began. Some people believe that Druids from Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales used October 31st as a night to honor their gods and make sacrifices. It is a common belief that human sacrifices were made, as well as crops, and animals. The Celts of that time period did not write, so they left behind no records of their beliefs or activities. Most information about the Druids, Celts, and their traditions came from their enemies, the Romans. The Romans also wrote that Christians sacrificed their own babies. They don't seem to be a very reliable source.
The Celts of England, Ireland, and northern France are believed to have started some of today's traditions. Their new year started on November 1st. So on October 31 they had a celebration to give thanks to their gods for the harvest. It is said that they sacrificed food and animals to their gods on that night.
It was believed, people are told, that spirits of the dead roamed the earth at night. The Devil and witches were supposed to be more powerful, too. Since winter brought cold weather, it was a time of sickness and death. It is believed that costumes were worn so spirits could not identify them.
Druids are also given credit for the custom of trick or treating. Some say that they went from house to house demanding demanding certain kinds of food. If the food was given, the occupants would enjoy prosperity in the coming year. Those that refused to, or were unable to provide the food were to be cursed with trouble, sickness, and death.
The first jack-o-lanterns were not made from big orange pumpkins, as they are today. They were carved from turnips or beets. There are many myths and legends about the Jack-o-lantern. One legend is about an Irishman named Jack. Jack liked playing tricks on the Devil. When he died the Devil made him roam the earth for all eternity. He carrys a lantern to light his way.
Sometime around 800 A.C. the Roman Catholic Catholic Church, in an effort to rid the people of their pagan religions and customs, they started a new holiday called All Hallows or All Saints Day on November 1st. It is a day to honor martyrs and saints, both known and unknown. All Hallow's Eve over time became Halloween.
It is unlikely that anyone will ever know for sure what is fact or myth about the orgins of Halloween and it's customs. Today it is just a time to dress up and have fun.
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