what does the real meaning of Halloween?

Answer 1

Halloween is a tradition celebrated on the night of October 31, most notably by children dressing in costumes and going door-to-door collecting sweets. It is celebrated in parts of the Western world, though most commonly in the United States, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Puerto Rico, and with increasing popularity in Australia and New Zealand. Halloween originated among the Celts in Ireland, Britain and France as the Pagan Celtic harvest festival, Samhain. Irish, Scots, Calan Gaeaf in Welsh and other immigrants brought versions of the traditions to North America in the 19th century. Most other Western countries have embraced Halloween as a part of American pop culture in the late 20th century.

The term Halloween, and its older spelling Hallowe'en, is shortened from All-hallow-even, as it is the evening before "All Hallows' Day" (also known as "All Saints' Day"). In Ireland, the name was All Hallows' Eve (often shortened to Hallow Eve), and though seldom used today, it is still a well-accepted label. The holiday was a day of religious festivities in various northern European Pagan traditions, until Pope Gregory III moved the old Christian feast of All Saints Day to November 1 to give Halloween a Christian interpretation . Halloween is also called Pooky Night in some parts of Ireland, presumably named after the púca, a mischievous spirit.

Halloween is often associated with the occult. Many European cultural traditions hold that Halloween is one of the liminal times of the year when the spiritual world can make contact with the physical world and when magic is most potent (e.g. Catalan mythology about witches, Irish tales of the Sídhe).

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.

Answer 3

The festival is named after Saint Walburga (known in Scandinavia as "Valborg"; alternative forms are "Walpurgis", "Wealdburg", or "Valderburger"), born in Wessex in 710. She was a niece of Saint Boniface and, according to legend, a daughter to the Saxon prince St. Richard. Together with her brothers she travelled to Franconia, Germany, where she became a nun and lived in the convent of Heidenheim, which was founded by her brother Wunibald. Walburga died on 25 February 779 and that day still carries her name in the Catholic calendar. However she was not made a saint until 1 May in the same year, and that day carries her name in the Swedish calendar.

Historically the Walpurgisnacht is derived from Pagan spring customs, where the arrival of spring was celebrated with bonfires at night. Viking fertility celebrations took place around April 30 and due to Walburga being declared a saint at that time of year, her name became associated with the celebrations. Walburga was honored in the same way that Vikings had celebrated spring and as they spread throughout Europe, the two dates became mixed together and created the Walpurgis Night celebration.

Answer 4

The real meaning of Halloween comes from All Hallows Eve when it was thought that the veil or barrier between the spirit world and ours was the thinnest and spirits crossed over freely. People wore masks to 'fit in' with the spirits so they wouldnt 'take' them back when the veil thickened again.

Answer 5

People really do need to overcome their fear of words, and get
an understanding of them. Like "divination" which means "from the DIVINE"!
If something is "hallow", it is sacred. Samhain, All SAINTS Day, is the time of year spiritual forces bring "spirits", (other lifeforms),
to our world. Some are bad, make no mistake. But many
are benevolent.
The Spirit pointed out to me that Jesus ROSE from the
dead 6 months later. I imagine this was according to
the realities of spiritual forces as well.

Answer 6

it will depend

1) reformation day to some

2) all saint day to tohers

3) a way Christians took pagan symbols like frowning pumkins and made them smile to show how Jesus can save
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4) an american day of dress up and fun... I would avoid the scary costumes personally speaking....

so many meanings... and origins

Answer 7

ONLY PAGANS AND NON BELEIVERS celebrate Halloween ,coz the celebration is like celebrating the dead

Answer 8

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Answer 9

It was the pagan "Memorial Day". The 'evil' labels and images associated with it were added by outsiders, AKA christians.

Answer 10

Dunno but I can tell you what Samhain is about.
Samhain is the Pagan Sabbat when we celebrate/remember our loved ones who have passed.
If I remember rightly, legend has it that the veil between the living and dead is thinner on Oct 31st and so its easier for our loved ones to come amongst us once again!