halloween history

halloween history - Transcript

Facts of
Hallowee
n
Halloween actually has its origins in 
the Catholic Church. It comes from a 
contracted corruption of All Hallows 
Eve. November 1st, All Hallows Day 
(or All Saints Day) is a Catholic day of 
observance in honor of saints.
In Mexico, they celebrate
El Dia de los Muertos or
the Day of the Dead
starting the evening of
October 31st.
The custom of Halloween
was brought to America
in the 1840s by Irish
immigrants fleeing their
country’s potato famine.
On November 2nd, All Souls Day, 
early Christians would walk 
from village to village begging 
for “soul cakes.” This is one 
origin of trick­or­treating.
The Celtic festival of Samhain
is the basis for Halloween.
Samhain, All Hallowtide, the
feast of the dead in Pagan and
Christian times, signalizing the
close of harvest and the
initiation of the winter season.
The day itself did not grow out of 
evil practices. It grew out of the 
rituals of the Celts celebrating a new 
year, and out of Medieval prayer 
rituals of Europeans.
In the 1800’s, people
started to have
Halloween parties. Part
of the celebrations
included costumes,
fortune telling, and
games such as bobbing
for apples.
At the turn of the century, cities
were overcrowded and
Halloween marked the time to let
off steam by playing practical
jokes. By the 1930’s, things had
gotten out of hand and serious
damage was being done on
Halloween. Trick or treating was
promoted as an alternative to
vandalism.
The Celts believed the
souls of the dead visited
the earth every October
31st.
Other
Names
All Hallows Eve
Samhain
All Hallowtide
The Feast of the Dead
The Legend of the Jack-O-Lantern
A man named Jack, who was notorious as a 
drunkard and a trickster, tricked Satan 
into climbing a tree. Jack then carved an 
image of the cross into the tree’s trunk, 
trapping the devil up the tree. Jack made a 
deal with the devil that, if he would never 
tempt him again, he would promise to let 
him down the tree. 
According to the folk tale, after Jack died, he 
was denied entrance to heaven because of 
his evil ways, but he was also denied access 
to hell because he had tricked the devil. 
Instead, the devil gave him a single ember 
to light his way through the frigid 
darkness. The ember was  placed inside a 
hollowed out turnip to keep it glowing 
longer.
The Irish used turnips as
their “Jack’s lanterns”
originally. But when the
immigrants came to
America, they found
pumpkins were far more
plentiful than turnips.
The Celts believed all
laws of space and time
were suspended during
this time, allowing the
spirit world to intermingle
with the living.
A cup of candy corn
has fewer calories
than a cup of raisins.
"Phasmophobia" is
the fear of ghosts.
"Samhainophobia"
is the morbid fear
of Halloween.
festivitie
s, as do
67
percent
of
adults.
Eighty-two percent of
children take part in
Halloween
This bulletin board has been submitted by:
Darcy Klasna,
Resident Assistant,
Montana State University
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