When is Hallowe'en night celebrated, and what is it's origin?

Question

Is it true that it is also known as Amateur's Night?

Answer 1

Halloween is an observance celebrated on the night of October 31, most notably by children dressing in costumes and going door-to-door collecting sweets or money. It is celebrated in much of the Western world, though most common in the United States, Puerto Rico, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada. Irish, Scots and other immigrants brought older versions of the tradition to North America in the 19th century. Most other Western countries have embraced Halloween as a part of American pop culture in the late 20th century.

The term Halloween, and its older spelling Hallowe'en, is shortened from All-hallow-even, as it is the evening before "All Hallows Day". In Ireland, the name was All Hallows Eve and this name is still used by some older people. Halloween was also sometimes called All Saints' Eve. The holiday was a day of religious festivities in various northern European pagan traditions, until it was appropriated by Christian missionaries and given a Christian interpretation. In Mexico November 1st and 2nd are celebrated as the Day of the Dead.

Halloween is also called Pooky Night in some parts of Ireland, presumably named after the púca, a mischievous spirit.

On Great Britain and Ireland in particular, the pagan Celts celebrated the Day of the Dead on All Hallows Day (1st November). The spirits supposedly rose from the dead and, in order to attract them, food was left on the doors. To scare off the evil spirits, the Celts wore masks. When the Romans invaded Great Britain, they embellished the tradition with their own, which is both a celebration of the harvest and of honoring the dead. Very much later, these traditions were transported to the United States, Canada and Australia.

Halloween is sometimes associated with the occult. Many European cultural traditions hold that Halloween is one of the liminal times of the year when the spiritual world can make contact with the physical world and when magic is most potent (e.g. Catalan mythology about witches).

Answer 2

Also called Hallow Eve, All Saints' Eve
Observed by Many Western nations, including the USA, Australia, Ireland, the United Kingdom and Canada
Type Religious, Cultural
Significance There are many sources of the significance of Halloween
Date October 31
Celebrations Trick-or-treating, Bobbing for apples, Costume parties, Carving jack-o'-lanterns

Answer 3

Samhain marks one of the two great doorways of the Celtic year, for the Celts divided the year into two seasons: the light and the dark, at Beltane on May 1st and Samhain on November 1st. Some believe that Samhain was the more important festival, marking the beginning of a whole new cycle, just as the Celtic day began at night. For it was understood that in dark silence comes whisperings of new beginnings, the stirring of the seed below the ground. Whereas Beltane welcomes in the summer with joyous celebrations at dawn, the most magically potent time of this festival is November Eve, the night of October 31st, known today of course, as Halloween.

Answer 4

Halloween began as Samhain, the celtic new year (end of summer, start of winter) when our world and the spirit world came very close and spirits were able to pass into our world (costumed trick-or-treaters). The spirits would mess with people's houses, so to appease the spirits, people would put food offerings out (trick-or-treat candy). Also, they would try to scare the spirits away with frightening faces carved into gourds (jack-o-lanterns).

When the Catholic Church came along, they altered the native pagan festival of Samhain into All Hallow's Eve (the Church did this with many pagan rituals--May Day and the May Pole, Easter--which comes from ancient love goddess Ashtaroth, whose symbols were the rabbit and the egg). The reason the Church altered the pagan festivals to fit Christianity was to convert the pagans; they figured the best way to do so was to make it seem like the pagan's lives weren't really changing...just some of the names.

Answer 5

Halloween as we celebrate today has several origins. It comes from the Celtic feast and ritual day called Samhain(Sou-Hain for pronuciation) which was a day on which the ancient Celts believed the spirits of those dead could walk the earth. This was not always seen as a bad thing since Druids would try to contact certain spirits for members of their tribes in order to pass messages. The ancient celts would dress up in different costumes representing certain spirits or magical beings to gain their favor. November 1st was also the Celtic New Year so feast were held to honor the god Bel( I am not sure of the full version of his name). Our halloween celebrations also come from the ancient Roman harvest celebrations, the Catholic Churches' All Saints Day and Mexico's Day of the Dead to name a few.

Answer 6

It si celebrated on october 31. Its origin is England, the used to go out that night dressed as scary things, to scare away the spirits and get there sweets for there reward. Now it is a holiday!

And Amaeturs night? Hmmmm..... I dont think so.

Answer 7

31 October used to be called all Hallows eve, meaning all ghosts night. It is the evening before All Saints day, November 1

Answer 8

Most all answers are correct, I can't add much but early on in Ireland they carved out turnips and put a burning coal in them, I like the
Jack-O- Lantern the best.

Answer 9

Oct 31st... it has Celtic origins, mainly Ireland and Scotland. It was kind of a mix of Memorial Day, New Years Eve and Thanksgiving. ^_^

Answer 10

Its true name is Sahain, pronounce Saw (like cOW) ain (ans is pAIN). Its the day the pagans, pay respect to the dead. Of course there is more to it, but its 3:30 am and I have work later in the morning.