2006-10-20 06:01:36 · 9 answers · asked by His 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Halloween
Halloween came from the Pagan holiday Samhain (pronounced "sow-when"). Samhain is the celebration of the new year. Like Ostara (now Easter) and Yule (now Christmas), the Christians "Christianized" the holiday. The Pope moved All Saints Day from the spring to coincide with Samhain, which was the end of the year. The name was changed to All Hallows Eve, until it's form now of Halloween.
Some Christians considered Christmas to be "too Pagan" and it wasn't always celebrated. Colonial Americans didn't celebrate it even! Halloween followed the same rout. However, Christmas is now celebrated by Christians, but Halloween isn't always. Many Christians see Halloween as still a Pagan holiday, and unfortunately they have many misconceptions about what Paganism is. Some Christians then draw the conclusion that to be Pagan is to be evil, and that Halloween is Pagan, therefore it's evil.
In summation, if Christians think that Halloween is evil because of it's Pagan roots, then should quite celebrating Christmas, which was once the Pagan holiday Yule, and Easter, which was once the Pagan holiday Ostara.
Pagans do not have a devil figure or evil god in their religion. Satan belongs to Christianity.
2006-10-20 06:57:55 · answer #1 · answered by Mrs. Pears 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The New Year
"According to what can be reconstructed of the beliefs of the ancient Celts, the bright half of the year ended around November 1 or on a Moon-phase near that date, a day referred to in modern Gaelic as Samhain ("Sow-in" or alternatively "Sa-ven", meaning: End of the Summer). After the adoption of the Roman calendar with its fixed months, the date began to be celebrated independently of the Moon's phases...
Popular literature over the last century has given birth to the near universal assumption that Samhain, now associated with the Roman Catholic theme and folkways of Hallowe'en, was the "Celtic New Year". Both the work of scholarly historians and Neopagan writers have begun to scrutinize this assertion."
This is from Wiki- I have always thought of it as the Celtic New Year, but it looks like they are starting to question that.
2006-10-20 06:04:27 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Halloween is a celerbration of a few things. It is also know as Samhain (sow-en), all hallows eve and a few other days. It is the end of summer. Also when the veil between worlds is at its thinnest. Some celerbrate it as the day of the dead, similar to the mexican day of the dead. They will leave cakes out, one for each of their deceased relatives. It is also a day to honour the Sun God.
2006-10-20 11:16:56 · answer #3 · answered by CASSIE 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As stated, there are many ways to celebrate. the majority of people celebrate it just by dressing up, carving pumpkins and having fun.
Halloween has changed alot though. It should be a "spooky" fun evening and winnie the pooh has no place!
2006-10-21 01:06:39 · answer #4 · answered by KathyS 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Remember that Halloween is a contraction of "All Hallows Eve", because it preceeded the Christian holy day of All Saints Day. One tradition was to have children dress as their patron saints on the holy day.
Over the years, the tradition declined to be darker as it is today.
2006-10-20 06:22:31 · answer #5 · answered by zax_fl 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It is the time of year when the veil between this world and the next is the thinnest so we can attempt to communicate with our loved ones who have crossed over. It is a time to honor our ancestors and friends who have passed.
2006-10-20 06:10:38 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
http://www.answers.com/topic/halloween
2006-10-20 06:31:36 · answer #7 · answered by kizkat 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
spirts
2006-10-20 06:07:24 · answer #8 · answered by ratex4 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Satan! And Candy!
2006-10-20 06:06:26 · answer #9 · answered by sshhmmee2000 6 · 1⤊ 3⤋