Halloween has become widely popular in the United States, especially in recent years. The National Retail Federation data estimated that Americans are aiming to spend $11.6 million in 2024, with 72% of the population planning to celebrate the spooky holiday.
Surprisingly, Halloween is not an American tradition. In fact, none of the major October holidays started here. So,
Where Did Halloween Really Originate?
The birthplace of Halloween is Ireland, and to date, the Emerald Isle is the most popular for Halloween travel, Forbes reported.
The spooky holiday originated 2,000 years ago in pagan Ireland, where the ancient festival of Samhain was celebrated, a festival that marks the end of harvest and the beginning of winter.
The Celts at that time believed that they were “closest to the underworld,” and as the boundary between the living world and the underworld is very thin, spirits were able to freely roam the Earth. So, the people to protect themselves left treats for the friendly spirits and wore masks and costumes to disguise themselves from evil spirits.
Samhain is considered a time to think about those who have died. But the timing of the festival was very important; the end of the autumn means when days get shorter and clocks “fall back.”
What Is The History of Halloween Costumes?
Halloween costumes in the modern day are inspired by movie characters and celebrities, but the origin of Halloween dressing is very scary.
Long ago, the Celts wore masks and costumes for their protection. They dressed up like spirits to disguise themselves from bad spirits roaming on the Earth.
Even the black and orange colors of Halloween came from that tribe. Black refers to the beginning of winter, darkness, and the underworld, while orange represents the end of the harvest season.
What Is The Story Behind Halloween Traditions?
So many traditions of Halloween celebrated in the United States and other parts of the world are linked to the festival of Samhain. People at that time lit large fires—bonfires today—to scare the evil spirits, and they carried glowing embers home in hollow turnips, like early jack-o'-lanterns, which led to carving pumpkins.
What Is Trick-or-Treating?
Like other traditions, the trick-or-treat tradition started hundreds of years ago in England and Ireland, when people, especially children from poor houses, visited well-do families and prayed for their souls in exchange for “Soul Cakes.”
As per Ireland’s tourism board, these soul cakes were cakes made with dried fruit and spices and decorated with a cross. But in modern times, the tradition has evolved, and people now offer sweets or chocolate instead of soul cakes.
Similar to Celtic people who left food outside their houses on the Samahin festival for good souls traveling between the underworld and Earth at night.
As Halloween is evolving, new traditions are becoming part of the spooky holiday, and it is expected that in the coming years, more new and exciting trends will make the eerie holiday more fun.
