Halloween Ancient Customs
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Halloween Customs Ancient Origins
Once upon a time the Celts who lived over 2,000 years ago in a place we know as Ireland celebrated their new year on November 1st.
Celtic Festival Of Samhain
(Samhain (Scots Gaelic: Samhuinn) literally means “summer's end.”)
The long dark winter night often bitterly cold also bought with it ,illness and death. Of course people died other times of the year too ,but the Celts were a curious and suspicious people and sensitive to the link between the living and the dead.
The ghosts of the dead were to be acknowledged and embraced for if not, the Celts believed they could be become annoyed and angry, often playing havoc with crops or individuals.Unexplained illness and death was often blamed on these 'troublesome spirits'
So they celebrated Samhain on October 31st ,the end of summer and farming crops hoping to please the spirits during the cold dark winter months.
Druids and Celtics also relied on these worldly spirits to pass on wisdom and prophecies about the future.
To honour these 'spirits' and evoke blessing from them, Druids built huge bonfires offering sacrifices of crops and animals to dieties believed to be ruling over certain counties.
They wore costumes at these Samhain celebrations and fables and fortunes were told and passed on.
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Links to dozens of fun Halloween recipes, including Halloween cakes and Halloween cupcakes. These are really cool recipes and the best thing I like is I adapted a couple of them for a friends birthdays (in her favourite colors)
Halloween Customs Come To America
Now You Know The Ancient Origins Of Halloween,
and the traditions and customs of Halloween stayed within families so ,when those families moved ,they carried within them those same superstitions and traditions.
Halloween Comes To America
Initially Protestants opposed the pagan practices associated with Halloween and its customs were frowned upon in New England .The increase and spread of European immigrants also meant the Halloween Customs and rituals would increase again in number as more and more immigrants settled into their new homeland, they felt secure again to practice those celebrations again from old.
It was catching on even faster in Maryland and the Southern Colonies,even the American Indians had their own version. These celebrations often took the same theme on the same as the Samhain from ancient days , dressing up in costumes resembling the dead or scary ghostlike spirits ,eating and telling imagined or real unexplained happenings!!!
The Unexplained Of Course Attributed To Unknown Menacing Ghostly Spirits!
As the millions of new immigrants flooded into New America , the Irish being significantly affected by the potato famine in 1846 migrated and really helped popularise Halloween Customs all over the states.
These now new Americans incorporating the Irish and English Halloween Customs began to adapt more costumes for dressing up and calling door to door asking for food or money a tradition that become known as 'trick or treating'
By the 1920-1930's in America was on its way to becoming a well known tradition and dressing up and fantasy still co-inciding with Fall ,which was once harvest time for many families of ancient times.
Today , thousands of years later it has become very commercial and it is estimated that Americans now spend $6.9 billion on this ancient custom from lands far off.
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Comments
Hi my friend , yes I saw the mask on Michael myers, hubby was watching that movie last week , disgusting and grosse!!!
Just not in my head space at all.
I love history lessons. For all my life Halloween was an evil, evil thing. As a one time Jehovah's Witness I was as superstitious as those Celts. I felt then, not knowing the power of the living God, that Satan would get in my head and never leave. I was very scared of that guy. Now don't get me wrong I still think that the roots of Halloween are evil and bring out the worst in people's traditions but nothing is evil of itself (that's what I read in Scripture) Children should be taught not to worship the devil, to be respectful of others property. They should be steered away from costumes that may stumble others. But Halloween is an opportunity for community outreach. A whole lot of the kids from the church go all at once with a party at the end. They bring evangelistic tracts and when they get candy, they say thank you and here's something for you. Then they hand them a tract. Many who did not know Jesus before came to him from a festival that had its roots in superstition and worship of gods other than the One True God. Something Satan intended for evil God can change for good. There are elements of other holidays that if you dig you would find pagan this and devil that. But for the most part, Christians have found a way to glorify God and in the process thwart the devil's original intended purpose. On a more personal note: I never had any Halloween. When I was a kid I loved scary movies. I loved to be scared (a little bit). When I was trying to set the date when I was to marry my beautiful bride, I wanted the fall, my favorite time of year. I tryed for early September. That fell through (preacher out of town). Middle September (unexpected funeral). Early October (something else). Then the associate pastor said, "Look my daughter's birthday is on the 31st why don't you come to the house and get married in our living room." Happy Anni-ween! 11yrs this year. We get to watch scary movies and she hugs my neck, and at just the right time, I pounce! Good hub and know that I love you.
Well crafted and written hub. Never knew this history before, thanks Eaglekiwi.
Before coming over to read this, I learned that Halloween is a holiday that was practiced by destitutes! I was definitely at first frowned upon, as many believed that it was a Pagan holiday, but so was Christmas (it was Apollo's Birthday before it was changed to Jesus'). Thank you for sharing this, EagleKiwi!
You have good information here. It is always cool to learn the origins of things.
no body thanks for visiting and sharing your combination of faith and historic tradition. Great to hear your and your churches unique outreach during pumpkin season ,lol.
It was one tradition that I never celebrated as such, and to be honest its not that celebrated in New Zealand,but I do think its important to always learn where traditions come from and why etc.
Great to read your positive and optimistic outlook on life events. Write a hub about it ,sounds great to me!
shamelabboush
I learned some new things also ,about the Druids for example. Thankyou for your comments.
Dohn121 Yes like you , I understood it too be a pagan religion/practice and just like other traditional type celebrations they sure do have some man-made additions ( like the Christmas Day you mention. No one knows the exact day of Jesus birth, I believe early Christians decided to name a day to commemorate the birth of Christ all the same.
Thankyou my friend for your loyalty , I appreciate you.
Pete , Thankyou for stopping by ,I dont get to see you too much these days , and it is an honor to have you make comment.
Great information. Like others I had no idea of the origins of this, so called, American tradition.
One has to admit that, the more you learn about the history of folklore, the more it becomes obvious that nothing is new...just re-badged! Perhaps its the recycling of ideas so we don't need to think too much. Whoops...could spell the end of philosophers???
Always looked forward to Halloween - is such a fun time! It's great to read about the history and customs of different cultures surrounding our 'special' days and holidays. Thanks so much for sharing this.
Laurie Thanks for your comments and yes commercialsm always will be there to provide the trills n frills for our many traditions and appetite for excitement I guess.
Enelle Lamb
I appreciate you taking the time to share your experiences and I wish your friends and family fun an happiness.
Great information good to know history
Thankyou for reading and leaving a comment Lgali.
Great story and great hub...I appreciated the history...thanks
msti Thankyou for reading , I apprecate your feedback alot!
H'mm, really interesting history here! Nice hub! Gives a new slant on Halloween! You live and learn!
Hey Cheeky Girl , glad ya enjoyed it , I didnt know its origins either til I researched the custom either. Thanks for your input.
Hehehe great article it was how trick and treating was born thanks for sharing...
Hehehe great article it was how trick and treating was born thanks for sharing...
Halloween Customs in the News
- Celebrating Halloween, Senior StylePark Hills Daily Journal7 hours ago
Celebrating Halloween recently with others at the Park Hills Senior Center are (left to right): Irma Tedder, Maxine Myrant, Esther Bates, Merilyn Miller, Jane King, and Dorothy Johnson. The 65 senior citizens who attended the Oct. 23 party played "Boogo" Halloween Bingo and Halloween Left/Right Gift game, then enjoyed a Halloween luncheon. Similar holiday events are planned Nov. 20 (Thanksgiving ...
- Bond lowered for alleged Halloween banditMontrose Daily Press6 hours ago
MONTROSE — Bond for a young man accused of robbing two girls of their Halloween candy was “extraordinarily oppressive� at $5,000 attorney Brent Martin said Monday.
- For the love of history and HalloweenPark Hills Daily Journal7 hours ago
The Mine Au Breton Historical Society and area businesses have joined forces to put on a Halloween party from 5:30 to 9:30 tonight at Heritage Park on Jefferson Street between South Missouri and South Mine streets.
awsydney says:
2 months ago
Hah, this can be quite scary! I do get a little edgy with all things connected with Halloween, especially Dr Tongue mask above!! :(