2006-09-15 18:48:06 · 5 answers · asked by Jo-Jo 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
Halloween is the evening (e'en) before All Hallows Day or All Saints Day which is a religious festival day on November 1 on
the church calendar.
Thanksgiving is a secular holiday invented in the US and Canada usually associated with harvest festivals which happen in the fall. It was originally (arbitrarily I guess) observed on the last Thursday of November. During the depression in 1939 the last Thursday was very close to Christmas and the merchants wanted more time for after- Thanksgiving shopping so President Roosevelt changed it to the third Thursday. It was very confusing. They did some funny stuff about nobody knowing when Thanksgiving is on the Jack Benny radio show. Finally after two confusing years they settled on the 4th Thursday which was usually the last Thursday. That way there wasn't a problem of the shopping season being cut short if there was a fifth Thursday but otherwise it was back to the way people were used to.
2006-09-15 19:26:18 · answer #1 · answered by Lleh 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Halloween is All Hallows Eve which is November 1st, so the eve of November 1st is always on the day before (which is October 31st).
The 4th Thursday thing was put into effect to have a standardized holiday -- it's always the same time every year (although not the same day), which makes for a nice break after and celebration to the harvest season.
2006-09-16 09:28:32 · answer #2 · answered by melvinschmugmeier 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Thanksgiving was not an annual national holiday until 1863. Lincoln suggested the 4th Thursday in Novemner, and Congress wrote it into law.
2006-09-16 10:42:40 · answer #3 · answered by derek1836 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Halloween was the Celtic New Year called Samhain (pronounced "So-wen") set on Oct 31st. later All Saints Day was placed on Nov 1 and eventually you have the name All Hallow's Eve which became Halloween.
2006-09-16 12:02:38 · answer #4 · answered by samurai_dave 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
SO PEOPLE ALWAYS KNOW WHEN IT IS AND THEY DON'T GET CONFUSED THERE IS NO SPECIAL REASON
2006-09-16 01:56:02 · answer #5 · answered by jk poet 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋