By Gwenddolen Woebking
Halloween originated from Celtic harvest festivals such as Samhain, which celebrating the end of the summer cycle at the end of October. Evil spirits were said to be scared away by people dressing up as scary entities and the gods were simultaneously honoured by the lighting of bonfires.
Around 732 A.D Pope Gregory iii extended the previously by Pope Boniface IV in 609 A.D established ÔÇ£All Martys DayÔÇØ to encompass all saints rather than just martyrs, thus giving birth to ÔÇ£All Saints DayÔÇØ. The name ÔÇ£HalloweenÔÇØ derived from the middle English word for that: Alholowmesse, which was shortened to AllÔÇÖHallowmas, making the day before it, October 31, AllÔÇÖhallowsÔÇÖ Eve.
Three hundred years after ÔÇ£All Saints DayÔÇØ came to exist, ÔÇ£All Souls DayÔÇØ was added on November 2nd, celebrating the dead by dressing up and lighting fires, as Samhain did, effectively becoming a Christian replacement for the pagan festival.Linked with ÔÇ£All souls dayÔÇØ is the tradition of ÔÇ£Trick or TreatingÔÇØ. Although it was popularised in America, even being the centre of the 1952 Disney cartoon ÔÇ£Trick or TreatÔÇØ, it again has its origins in Britain and Ireland. During the holiday, poor people would go to their rich neighbours and offer to pray for their deceased family members in return for ÔÇ£Soul CakesÔÇØ. Soul cakes were small cakes baked to commemorate the dead and the exchange of prayers for cakes is regarded as the origin of the phrase ÔÇ£Trick or TreatÔÇØ as a treat was offered to avoid the trick of misfortune to the dead. This was later taken up by kids going from house to house asking for sweets and changing the meaning by performing tricks or songs for treats.
Halloween took off in America primarily in the 1840s as Irish immigrants came fleeing the great potato famine, bringing with them the previously existing traditions of Halloween. In 20th century USA however the trick became the choice of action for youngsters who then caused considerable damage to the community. This became so bad during the 1920s depression, with acts of violence being common, that community trick or treating was organised. The custom was halted during the Second World War due to sugar rations but resumed with the baby boomer generation and post war rise in consumerism.
Another popular aspect of Halloween is the Jack-OÔÇÖ-Lantern, a carved pumpkin with a candle inside. This custom derives from the Irish myth of Jack, who tricked the devil, twice. Having invited the devil for a drink, jack didnÔÇÖt want to pay for his drink and challenged the devil to turn into a coin to pay for it. He then simply kept the coin, next to a silver cross so that the devil could not turn back. Only under the condition of not claiming his soul after he died and leaving him alone for a year did he free the devil. The next year he sent the devil up a tree to pick some fruit but carved a cross into the tree so that the devil could not come down. Once more he gave the devil the condition of not claiming his soul after his death and would only free him if he left him alone for another ten years. Once Jack died, God however refused to let his dirty soul into heaven and, keeping his promise the devil could not allow him to enter hell, so he gave Jack a piece of eternally burning coal and sent him away. Jack then put the coal into a carved turnip and started his wondering. Jack in the lantern turned into Jack-OÔÇÖ-Lantern and the pumpkin replaced the turnip.
Halloween is also celebrated in non-anglophone cultures. At the end of October and beginning of November, Dios Del Muerte, or Day of the Dead is celebrated across Mexico and parts of Latin America. Originally in summer, the festival was changed to autumn due to Spanish and therefore Christian influence of All Saints day and All Souls day. During the festival, treats are offered to the dead at altars and graves, and marigolds are laid out to guide the dead back to the world of the living for the day.
Halloween is an internationally celebrated phenomena, which one can not only trace back to Christianity, but also other historical religions. In the west however, it is a celebration of autumn, linked with dressing up, sweets and the warmth of bonfires, hot chocolate and fun!