Halloween? what is the celebration for?

Question

I have always done the halloween thing, but I am starting to wonder why people dress up and what it mean, any thoughts?

Answer 1

To me, it is just a faux paus now.

Answer 2

Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in).

The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.

To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities.

During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other's fortunes. When the celebration was over, they re-lit their hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter.

By A.D. 43, Romans had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. In the course of the four hundred years that they ruled the Celtic lands, two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain.

The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of "bobbing" for apples that is practiced today on Halloween.

By the 800s, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. In the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs. It is widely believed today that the pope was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday. The celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints' Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween. Even later, in A.D. 1000, the church would make November 2 All Souls' Day, a day to honor the dead. It was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels, and devils. Together, the three celebrations, the eve of All Saints', All Saints', and All Souls', were called Hallowmas.

Answer 3

Pope Gregory IV came to terms with the fact that the church, which had not too long before begun to establish a considerable presence in the Celtic regions, would not be able to convert pagans to the Christian faith simply by maligning their holidays and expecting communities to let go of their deeply rooted beliefs. In an effort to make stepping in the footsteps of Christ more palatable to the Celts, the Pope mingled Christian beliefs and pagan practices when he declared November 1 as “All Saints Day” (or "All Hallows Day” --“Hallow” meaning holy person or saint), and the day prior, October 31, as “All Hallows Even", when the devil allegedly was given the green light to have some “fun”. All Saints Day originated as an institutional celebration of the lives and courage of saints, especially martyred saints. Even later, sometime 1000AD, the church made November 2 “All Souls Day”, a day to honor the dead. It was celebrated similarly to Samhain (pronounced sow-in), with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels, and devils. Together, the three celebrations, “All Hallows Even”, All Saints Day, and All Souls Day, were called “Hallowmas”. Much more read all about it at the source below

Answer 4

Halloween was origanaly the Druids New Year, except it was called All Hallow's Eve. The reason of change to Halloween is unknown. People of all ages would go around, dressed in a disguise, begging for cakes. The candy idea didn't develop until it came over to America, and it seemed too childish for our adults to beg for candy.

Answer 5

The Halloween observance originated with the Celtic Druids around 700 B.C. The Druids believed that the souls of the dead returned to inhabit the bodies of the living on October 31st . Villagers donned masks and costumes and paraded to the outskirts of their towns to trick roving spirits into leaving.

More at the website listed below.

Answer 6

Halloween originally came from the Druids. Halloween is considered to be the Druid new year. It was believed that on this 'new year' the line between the living and the dead would be at its thinnest than any other time of the year. To them, this meant that dead witches, sorcerers, and seers would literally walk the earth during this night seeking revenge on the living. The Druids believed that by disguising themselves, such as a ghost witch or a sorcerer of some kind, that the dead would ignore them and leave them be. Therefore, no haunting or revenge on All Hallows Night would be taken out on the living.

Answer 7

Well, Nov 1 is all saints day. Now do your own research but here's my understanding.

The Catholic Church decided to have an All Saints day because there were so many Saints giving each one his own day would make every day a holiday. (St Patricks day, St Valentines day, ect, ect). So they came up with All Saints Day, All Hallows day, and the night before is All Hallows Eve, Halloween.

Then the idea came along that the night before all saints days the demons and sprits would be running amok. That combined with the pagan rituals gave us the Halloween we all know and love.

Answer 8

its a celebration known to hispanics as day of the dead 2 go 2 the grave yard & try 2 talk 2 the dead, but 4 others its a time 2 scare lil kids, feel like a kid & get free candy

Answer 9

It is a VERY old tradition,,, on Halloween or the old pagan holiday of Samhain the veil between our world and the spirit world gets thin,,, costumes and masks were worn to confuse evil spirits.

Answer 10

http://www.history.com/minisites/halloween/viewPage?pageId=713 I hope this helps and Happy Halloween lol

Answer 11

i will tell you the real deal:

one man,i forgot his name a lopng time ago,he wondered
that everyuoone had a holiday that celebrated jesus so he thoguht of a holiday to celebrate satin the devil so that is why wee have what we call holloween