2006-10-28 12:45:38 · 9 answers · asked by jennifer o 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Halloween
During the 8th century, the Christian Church was unable to get the people to stop celebrating the holiday of 'Oiche na Sprideanna' (Spirit Night), the Feast of the Dead on October 31st, so, as they did with many pre-Christian feast days, they adapted them. The first day of November was designated as All Saints Day - 'All Hallows' hallow meaning holy. Thus the night before became 'All Hallows Eve' which was shortened to Hallow-e’en.
The Celts, like many cultures, started every day at sunset of the night before. The first day of Samhain which is the Irish word for November was celebrated as 'Oiche na Sprideanna' (Spirit Night), the Feast of the Dead. The dead were honoured and feasted, not as the dead, but as the living spirits of loved ones and the guardians of the wisdom of the tribe. They believed that the living and the dead were at their closest on this night but that evil spirits might also attempt to collect as many souls as they could. So they disguised themselves as members of the spirit world to confuse any devils that might be about.
2006-10-29 03:16:52 · answer #1 · answered by alpha 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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.
2006-10-31 00:51:40 · answer #2 · answered by rhmarsh@verizon.net 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
WARNING!! Halloween is an evil holiday in which people try to cover up by handing out candy to little kids, but many teenagers go around destroying things, and many cults and witchcraft celebrate this day, so this day should not be supported in any way whatsoever, Halloween should be removed from people's calendars and condemned! Friends of Satan do not need to be assisted by recognizing their holiday! It is EVIL! Don't be a friend of Satan!
2006-10-30 06:30:30 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
About 1440
2006-10-28 12:47:46 · answer #4 · answered by Tank 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
During the Celtic era of Europe they were pagans. They believed on All Hallows Eve or All Souls Day, the dead would walk among them and because of that, they dressed up in costumes so their dead relatives would not recognize them and leave them alone. It migrated to the US and became a little fun time for kids. Even if Christians play along, it's not a sin because they are not using it as the same festival.
2006-10-28 12:53:53 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Halloween is this tuesday. 3 days from now.
2006-10-28 12:47:25 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
http://www.history.com/minisites/halloween/
2006-10-28 12:51:33 · answer #7 · answered by rexy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1440 when they thought whiches were real. The witches created special days to celebrate the devil. Nowadays we celebrate stop acting all good and be evil evrynow and then. We force others to give candy( people just give them out.) We tp houses and other junk.
2006-10-28 12:59:20 · answer #8 · answered by snakeyking53 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Right after the stores put away the school supplies.....xmas has started too.
2006-10-28 12:47:09 · answer #9 · answered by kamsmom 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋