Halloween is famous funny spooky costumes in many countries. There are some interesting things about the holiday you may want to know! So let’s take a look inside what Halloween day is!
What Does Halloween Mean?
The current English name Halloween traces back to medieval Christianity. The word hallow is derived from the Middle and Old English words for holy. As a noun, it can also mean saint. In those days, the Christian holiday we know as All Saints’ Day was called All Hallows’ Day, and the day before, when an evening mass was held, was All Hallows’ Eve. That three-word name eventually got shortened to Halloween.
Halloween Origins
Halloween evolved from the ancient Celtic holiday of Samhain. Over the centuries, Halloween transitioned from a pagan ritual to a day of parties, costumes, jack-o-lanterns and trick-or-treating for kids and adults.
- The word “Halloween” comes from All Hallows’ Eve and means “hallowed evening.”
- The history of Halloween dates back to a pagan festival called Samhain.
- Hundreds of years ago, people dressed up as saints and went door-to-door, which is the origin of Halloween costumes and trick-or-treating.
Halloween, celebrated on October 31, is just around the corner, which means an evening of fun filled with costumes, spooky treats, trick-or-treating, Halloween party games.
Halloween Traditions
In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor saints. Soon after, All Saints Day came to incorporate some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before All Saints Day was known as All Hallows Eve, and later, Halloween. Here is a look at the origins of some of the classic Halloween traditions we know today. And carving pumpkins, trick-or-treating, and wearing scary costumes are some of the time-honored traditions of Halloween.
Carving Jack-o’-Lanterns
This is a tradition originated in Ireland using turnips instead of pumpkins. It is allegedly based on a legend about a man named Stingy Jack who repeatedly trapped the Devil and only let him go on the condition that Jack would never go to Hell. But when Jack died, he learned that Heaven did not want his soul either, so he was forced to wander the Earth as a ghost for eternity. The Devil gave Jack a burning lump of coal in a carved-out turnip to light his way. Locals eventually began carving scary faces into their own turnips to frighten away evil spirits.
Trick-or-treating
Trick-or-treating setting off on Halloween night in costume and ringing doorbells to demand treats has been a tradition in the United States and other countries for more than a century. Its origins remain murky but traces can be identified in ancient Celtic festivals, early Roman Catholic holidays and medieval practices.
Halloween scary but also funny costumes
When you think of Halloween costumes, the first thing that likely comes to mind are spooky characters: ghosts, zombies, vampires, and witches, perhaps. Scary costumes are traditional to wear for Halloween, and also have their roots in the Celtic precursor to Halloween: the festival of Samhain. Because it was believed that spirits would walk the earth during this festival, people would dress in spooky costumes to chase away evil spirits. And beside the scary costumes you might see people dress up as funny objects. Whatever you wanna be, there’s probably a Halloween costume out there for you!
Hopefully, the above content will provide you with more useful information about this famous and popular ghost festival. Happy Halloween and let’s spend this wonderful holiday with Vinut! Having Vinut adds great flavor to every holiday!