HALLOWEEN

Halloween began two thousand years ago in Ireland, England, and Northern France with the ancient religion of the Celts. 


They celebrated their New Year on November 1st. This day marked the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain (summer’s end) and they believed that the dead returned to earth as ghost.

November 1^st  was also a special day for the Christian Church: All Saint Day (also called All Hallow). In this day, christians honour the saints and other people who died for their religion. The night before All Hallow was called “Hallow eve” and later the name changed to “Halloween”. Like the Celts, they believed that the spirits of the dead would visit the earth on Halloween. So, that night people wore costumes. This way, the ghosts couldn’t recognize them!

In 1848, millions of Irish emigrated to America and carried their traditions to America, where today it is one of the most important days of the year. 

The Jack-O-Lantern

The Irish carried turnips with candles in them to light their way at night and to scare away ghosts. 

When they arrived in America they found that pumpkins were more common and easier to carve than turnips.





Trick-or-treating

It began in the 15^th century. All Souls Day festival in England, poor people knocked on doors and asked for food and beer. In return, they prayed  for their family, relatives. 

Today, children go from house to house, but instead of beer, food, and money, they get candies. 

And if you don’t give candies to them…something bad can happen to your house!