Halloween or All Hallows Eve, as it is sometimes
referred to, originates from the Celts to mark “summer’s end”. Summer’s end was
important for those who lived off of their own harvest and animals. Today, we
mark this time period as the end of summer and the beginning of fall.
Nowadays we celebrate this day with costumes,
candy, and parties, but things were quite different during earlier times. The
Druids celebrated Halloween with a festival. They danced around fires to keep
the evil of the underworld away, but also allowed their doors to stay open,
offering the spirits of their deceased loved ones to come in and fill their
hearths with positive energy. During this time, divination was an important and
effective tool to gain insight to the future.
As time passed, Halloween’s cultural
diversification expanded. In 43 AD, when the Romans ruled a majority of the
Celtics land, they celebrated Samhain, a harvest festival and Halloween’s
precursor. At the festivities, they introduced serving apples at as a symbol
for Pomona, the goddess of fruit and abundance. This practice, some believe,
lead to “bobbing for apples.” Also, trick-or treating is a combination of
English and Irish traditions. By the late 1800’s, Halloween had become a
community affair. In the 1950’s, the holiday was aimed towards youth in hopes
of stopping vandalism.
It doesn’t matter if you spend All Hallows Eve like
the Celts, dancing around the fire and giving one another readings, or if you
bob for apples and trick or treat with your children. Be safe and have fun!
