Halloween has a long and interesting history that has changed a lot over time. It all started more than 2,000 years ago with the Celtic festival called Samhain, which celebrated the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter. People believed this time was when the spirits of the dead could roam freely, so they held special rituals to honor them and to keep any possible trouble away. As different cultures, like Christians and Irish immigrants, added their own twists, Halloween became the fun holiday we know today, complete with costumes, trick-or-treating, and with several other popular traditions. Below we explore interesting facts about the origins of Halloween and how it all began.
1. Halloween has origins in the area that is now Ireland, the U.K., and France
Halloween’s roots lie in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, celebrated over 2,000 years ago, which began in the area that is now Ireland, northern France, and the United Kingdom. This festival marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter, a time when the Celts believed the boundary between the living and the dead was particularly thin. This began as a pagan religious celebration to welcome the harvest at the end of summer, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts.
2. Halloween started as a New Year’s celebration
For the Celts, November 1 was considered the New Year. This date signified a transition from the warm, fruitful summer months to the cold and dark winter, a period often associated with death and the supernatural. On the night of October 31, it was believed that the souls of the dead returned to their homes. The Celts held rituals to honor these spirits, hoping to appease them and prevent any mischief, such as damaging crops or causing illness.
3. There is symbolism in the black and orange
The traditional Halloween colors of black and orange also have roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. For the Celts, black symbolized the "death" of summer, marking the end of the growing season, while orange represented the vibrant autumn harvest. Together, these colors reflect the transition from life to the darker, colder months ahead.
4. Carving pumpkins originates from an Irish legend
The tradition of carving jack-o'-lanterns originated from the Irish legend of "Stingy Jack," who tricked the devil and roamed the Earth with a carved turnip. Locals eventually began carving scary faces into their own turnips to frighten away evil spirits. Irish immigrants brought this practice to America, where they preferred using pumpkins due to their size and ease of carving. This custom also ties back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which involved creating lanterns to ward off spirits.
5. Trick-or-treating has Celtic origins
Trick-or-treating has a rich history with several different influences. One theory suggests it started with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, where people would leave out food to please wandering spirits. Another idea comes from a Scottish practice called guising, where kids dressed up and went door-to-door for snacks by performing songs or jokes. There's also a German-American tradition called belsnickeling, where children disguised themselves and would get treats if neighbors couldn’t guess who they were. All these traditions have blended over time to create the trick-or-treating we enjoy today.
6. Scary costumes started as a way to trick ghosts
Wearing costumes on Halloween was originally a way to disguise oneself from ghosts, as it was believed that the spirits of the dead would roam the earth on Samhain. People wore costumes to trick these spirits into thinking they were fellow ghosts, a tradition that has transformed into the playful and spooky outfits we enjoy today.
7. Bats were originally drawn to the tradition by large bonfires
Bats have been part of Halloween celebrations for a long time, and not just as symbols. During Samhain, the Celts would light big bonfires that attracted insects, which in turn attracted bats. This made bats a common sight during the festival. Over time, medieval folklore added to their spooky reputation, with superstitions suggesting that bats were omens of death.
8. Halloween has Christian influence
As Christianity spread across Europe, it incorporated various pagan customs, including those from the ancient festival of Samhain. In the 8th century, Pope Gregory III established November 1 as All Saints' Day, effectively merging elements of Samhain with Christian traditions. This blending contributed to the modern celebration of Halloween, which retains echoes of its pagan roots while embracing Christian themes of remembrance and honor.
9. Halloween was influenced by Irish immigration
In the 19th century, Irish immigrants fleeing the Great Famine significantly influenced the development of Halloween in America. They introduced traditions like carving turnips into lanterns, which later evolved into the pumpkin jack-o'-lanterns we know today. Additionally, Irish ghost stories and customs surrounding Samhain enriched the holiday's folklore. This blend of Irish traditions with local practices helped shape the modern celebration of Halloween in the United States.
10. Anoka, MN was the first reported city in the U.S. to celebrate Halloween
The first recorded Halloween celebration in the U.S. took place in Anoka, Minnesota, in October 1920, as a response to disruptive pranks by local youths. Civic leaders, including George Green, organized a large celebration to divert attention from mischief, leading to the formation of a Halloween committee supported by local businesses, schools, and parents. This initiative fostered a community-oriented celebration featuring a costume parade and block party, establishing Anoka as the "Halloween Capital of the World" and shaping the festive spirit of Halloween for generations.
11. Candy apples started as a way to preserve the fruit
For centuries, fruit has been coated in syrup for preservation, with apples central to harvest celebrations during the Roman festival of Pomona, named after the goddess associated with the fruit. Candy apples were accidentally invented in 1908 by candymaker William W. Kolb in Newark, New Jersey, who showcased his red cinnamon candy by dipping apples in glaze. Initially intended as a holiday treat, candy apples gained popularity as Halloween snacks from the early 1900s through the 1970s.
12. The distribution of candy started with items like food, coins, and toys
Going door-to-door for treats has been a Halloween tradition for a long time, but before the mid-20th century, children didn’t always receive candy. Instead, they often collected items like fruit, nuts, coins, and toys. The trend of trick-or-treating gained momentum in the 1950s, prompting candy companies to produce small, individually wrapped candies. However, it wasn't until the 1970s, driven by parental concerns over unwrapped items, that candy became the dominant treat.