What is the history of Halloween, and what costume are you going to wear?

Answer 1

Halloween started out as All Hollows' Eve, the day before All Saint's day (hallowed means holy). The festival originally started with people dressing up in spooky costumes to scare away all of the "evil spirits," a tradition which was in place in northern Europe long before Christianity came into play. Like many Christmas traditions, it is believed to come from the Germanic barbarians living ouside the Roman Empire. The point of this ritual was to make the next day "pure" without the influence of evil spirits. Originally, It was mainly adults that celebrated this holiday, however, over time it decended into the realm of mischievous children. The tradition of handing out candy... I'm not too sure about that one, however, I do know that it is fairly recent. Check out the Halloween celebrations in the movie "Meet Me in St. Louie" Bonfires in the streets, throwing flower into people's faces to make them become ghosts, it's no wonder the holiday is now somewhat scripted, with kids going to get candy door to door. That is, I assume a previous method of bribery. Today, when kids say "trick or treat," I believe it comes from kids threatening adults with all sorts of mischief and giving the adults a chance to buy them off, however, that's just my guess. I will be dressing up as a sousaphone player. We have marching band practice that night :(

Answer 2

As far as i know the tradition came from all hallows eve - but found this (although theres a lot more to it ... look @ link for this) which is a good description of it. I'll be wearing my work uniform as im working that night at my uni nightclub.No rest for the wicked if u'll excuse the pun :P.



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.

Answer 3

Basically a little girl was sent into the woods to fetch something so she made a pumpkin lantern to help light her way and all the ghosts and witches and scary things stayed away from her and she came back safe. Thats the story they told in England.

I have no clue what I'm going to wear for halloween. I had a few costumes planned but they were all warm weather type costumes b/c i live in south carolina...and last night it hit below freezing which is kind of weird for this time of year for here. So I have no idea. Besides, I got an exam wednesday so I may not go out at all.

Answer 4

Halloween started as All Hallow's Eve, whuch is the night before All Saint's Day. It was a night that Satan was technically the sole master of. My family doesn't believe in trick ot treating, so I'm not dressing up.

Answer 5

no one has mentioned yet the day of the dead where the boundaries between the living world and the spiritual world is slurred the most, and when everyone honors their dead and there are rituals ect.
costumes and such came from england tradition
candy came from industial tradition of making money
and im going as a big bird for halloween

Answer 6

It originated from the Pagan (European) holiday of Samhain. The 3rd of the 3 harvest festivals, also held to be the night the veil between the seen and unseen (living and dead) is the thinnest. Therefore, it's easier to contact those who have gone before. In Celtic tradition, Samhain is the start of winter, as Beltaine is the start of summer.

Answer 7

on condition that while has Halloween been approximately being a tramp? it quite is not attractive, in actuality it is quite extraordinarily trashy and maximum adult males quite in simple terms make relaxing of your dress (to no longer say they don't get off on it, yet isn't that creepy). The sluttish costumes could renounce by way of fact it is barely a humiliation to you. supply up degrading your self like that and supply up making it quite elementary for us to chuckle at how trashy and actually stupid you quite look.