when was halloween invented?

Answer 1

READ and learn about the TRUE origins of Halloween here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/halloween.....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/samhain......

Get even MORE info here:

http://www.new-life.net/halowen1.htm.......

http://www.history.com/minisite.do?conte...

http://wilstar.com/holidays/hallown.htm....

http://www.samhain.com/

http://www.mythinglinks.org/samhain.html...

http://www.celticspirit.org/samhain.htm....

I've provided links because there's not enough room here to fully explain it as I would like. You can find out even more by using your search engine(s) and typing in " Halloween " and " Samhain ".

Answer 2

In 835, Pope Gregory IV moved the celebration for all the martyrs (later all saints) from May 13 to November 1. The night before became known as All Hallow’s Even or “holy evening.” Eventually the name was shortened to the current Halloween. On November 2, the Church celebrates All Souls Day.

Answer 3

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 4

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.

Answer 5

Its an ancient Celtic celebration from the British Isles (Britain and Ireland)

The pagan Celtic Britons and Irish celebrated their new year on 1 Novermber (known as "Samhain"). On 31st October - the last day of the "old" year they beleived that the veil between this world and the next was drawn aside, magical forces abounded and the dead walked with the living. It was a time to celebrate the new year, and the passing of the old (it is rumoured human sacrificie may have been involved), light bonfires, tell fortunes, dress in animal skins, slaughter the cattle for the winter.

There were regional variations in how it was celebrated but it was basically a smiliar celebration all over the British Isles.

The Christians changed Samhain to All Hallows Day - a day to remember the saints and one's dead relatives. But the people still celebrated the night before - All Hallow's Eve or Hallowe'en - as a night when the "bad" spirits came out to play and magic and goblins were out and about. There were many different ways of celebrating. They would dress up and go "guising" (similar to trick or treat), carve lanterns out of turnips and swedes, play games, light bonfires, bob for apples etc.

Hallowe'en generally fell out of favour with the Christians however and died down very much in Britain at least although I beleive it carried on in some form in Ireland much longer.

The emigrants who went to America took it with them - they substitued pumpkins for turnips, changed guising into trick or treat and made much more of the festival.

Its now been "re-sold" back accross the Atlantic and today tends to be celebrated here in the UK in a very American form - all Pumpkins, trick or treat, parties etc although its nowhere near as big in Britain as it is in America.

I think the shops just realised it was a money maker they were missing out on.

Answer 6

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!

Answer 7

Halloween wasn't actually invented. It comes from All Hallows Eve (Hallow'een) which is the eve of All Saints Day - November 1st which is, in its turn older than the Catholic faith from which it stems!!.

Halloween as a Trick ot Treat marathon comes from America and is indicative of how spoilt are our children. Just try saying trick and see what you get from the little darlings!!

Answer 8

Pope Gregory IV standardized the date of All Saints' Day, or All Hallows' Day, on November 1 to the entire Western Church in 835.

Answer 9

Hallowe'en is a corruption of All Hallows Eve.

That is the day before All Saints' Day.

It has existed ever since Saint's Days have been celebrated.

Answer 10

halloween comes from the Pagan day of Samhain pronounced sowwhen.. it is a day celebrating the harvest and a day you can walk with the dead..so you could cope with the deaths of past friends and family members.. its the new years celebration for paganism... it rocks! lots of fun.. WITCHESS AHHH!!!