Halloween is an annual holiday celebrated every year on October 31st. It dates back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people lit fires and wore costumes to ward off ghosts. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as the time for honoring all saints; All Saints' Day soon incorporated some of the Samhain traditions.
At first, the holiday was called All Saints 'Day (or All Saints' Eve), and later it was renamed Halloween. Over time, Halloween turned into a Day of Scary and Fun. Entertainment, costumes, masks, sweets and artistic pumpkin carvings, or "Jack's Lanterns" as they are called.
Halloween is not an official holiday in Russia and the CIS countries. But, despite this, many people celebrate it and support the idea of the holiday and its traditions. The date of the event in most countries falls on the night of October 31, but in some areas it can be November 1 or even 2.
Although this festival already has a long history, it came to us only at the end of the twentieth century. But they began to celebrate it en masse only about 10 years ago, and every year there are more and more participants in the celebration.
A brief history of the holiday, the origins of Halloween
Halloween, celebrated on October 31st, is the last day of the Celtic calendar. At first, it was considered a pagan holiday in honor of those who left our world. Halloween has been called All Hallows Eve (hence the name Halloween), and the holiday is about 2,000 years old!
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There are many versions of the origins and ancient traditions of Halloween. Different cultures view the holiday in slightly different ways, but the traditions of Halloween remain the same.
Halloween culture can be traced back to the Druids, a Celtic culture in Ireland, Britain and Northern Europe. The roots lie in the celebration of Samhain, which is held annually on 31 October to honor the dead.
Samhain means "end of summer". Samhain is a harvest festival. People lit huge sacred fires, which marks the end of the Celtic year and the beginning of a new one. Many of the practices associated with this holiday are full of superstitions.
The Celts believed that the souls of the dead roam the streets and villages at night. Since not all spirits were considered friendly, gifts and treats were left to appease evil. This ensured that crops would be plentiful in the years to come.
It was believed that on this day you should not leave your home. And so that the ghosts did not recognize them, people put on costumes and masks, which were made from the skins and heads of killed animals.
Celebration traditions in other countries
Costume parties, Jack's lanterns, sweets are all traditional Halloween symbols. How is the holiday celebrated in other countries? And what other unusual traditions are there?
Samhain, Ireland and Scotland. Ireland is considered the birthplace of modern Halloween with its origins stemming from ancient Celtic and pagan rituals. The Irish hold the Samhain Festival every year. In Ireland and Scotland, Halloween is celebrated with bonfires, games and traditional food such as Irish fruit pie. They put a coin or a ring in it. The ring means marriage, an early wedding, and the coin symbolizes wealth in the coming year.
Day of the Dead, Mexico. From November 1 to 2, Mexico and parts of Latin America celebrate the Day of the Dead in honor of those who have passed away. The heavenly gates are believed to open at midnight on October 31st and the souls of children return to Earth to reunite with their families within 24 hours.
