I hope everyone has a great, coustume-filled, pumpkin-carving halloween. Here is a bit of halloween history:
Did you know that Halloween is one of the oldest holidays? It has gone through many changes, but it was originally a Celtic festival called Samhain, marking the end of harvesting and the begining of a new year. The druids believed that ghosts and spirits roamed the earth at this time, and they lit bonfires as protection.
When Romans took over the Celtic lands, they adapted the day to honor their own deities. One of these, Pomona, was the goddess of fruit and trees and was represented by an apple. This may be why we bob for apples today at halloween partys!
Eventually, the Roman Catholic Chuch adapted the day as All Saints', or All Hallows', Day, to honor saints who did not have a specific feast day of their own. The name gradually changed to Halloween.
The tradition of trick-or-treating dates to All Souls' Days parades in England. Villagers gave poor people "soul cakes" in return for prayers for their dead relatives.
In 1920's America, childern began going trick-or-treating in their neighborhoods. By this time, halloween lost all its religious meaning and became a holiday where people could don costumes and become, for one night, something fantastical. It also became an inexpensive way for communities to celebrate together.
Other countries have their celebrations at this time, but with different meanings. In Mexico people celebrate El Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. Thisis a time to honor and celebrate the dead. Families clean and decorate their relatives' graves, and on the night of November 1, everyone meets at the graveyard. Traditionally, this is the time that spirits are believed to return to the land of the living.
Happy Halloween
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