the history of Halloween

Halloween originally comes from Ireland. It is a very old holiday and it has changed a lot from the original version. Because it is so old, the history gets a little unclear. You may hear a few different versions of where Halloween comes from. This is most accurate version that I know.

Today’s Halloween has its roots in Ireland and the holiday of Samhain. Samhain is a very ancient traditional holiday that celebrates the end of the harvest season. The ancient Irish believed that the barrier between the living and the dead disappeared during this time of year. Because of this, it was considered a scary and dangerous time of year. People were afraid that the dead would come visit them and cause sickness or damage crops. To scare or confuse these evil spirits people burned bonfires. They also wore costumes and masks to make themselves look like spirits. At some point people also began going from house to house. They collected offerings (usually food) to be used to appease the spirits and protect both the people and the land. This is where the custom of trick or treating began. The people believed that doing these things would either scare evil spirits away, confuse them, or keep them from being angry. 

Many of today’s American Halloween traditions come from these ancient practices. The costumes which people once wore for protection have now become part of the fun. The jack o'lantern used to be made from turnips, rutabagas, and gourds to keep evil away. But in America, big orange pumpkins are now carved at Halloween. Instead of scaring away visitors, the jack o'lanterns encourage trick-or-treaters to visit and celebrate the holiday.