what is the true history behind halloween?

Answer 1

THE REAL HALLOWEEN

TREAT … OR TRICK?

'The Druid priests believed that the dead returned to their original homes that night and if food and shelter wasn’t forthcoming the evil spirits would respond by casting wicked spells on those who refused them.

The Celts offered sacrifices to these "dead spirits" and it was believed that if they were happy with what they were given they would leave you alone. Otherwise you were in trouble and horrible consequences would ensue. The Druids would go from house to house demanding gifts and cursing anyone who denied them. This is the origin of the modern-day "trick or treat".'

Answer 2

Its an over 2000 year old holiday begun on the British isles by the Celts to ensure that the gods would bring back the sun the following year for growing crops...this was a day that sacrifices were made to the gods and food and sweets were left out for ppl who died the previous year...it is believed they will come back if unhappy...that is where we get trick or treat...later Rome had their own idea of this holiday...dealing with fertility goddess...this mixed when rome grew..
Finally the Christians wanted a piece of it to attract people away from halloween so we have nov 1...all saints day...
People finally began combining all of these aspects and we get what we have today.

Answer 3

Other Yahoo Q&As on Halloween address the pagan roots of the modern Halloween holiday. These ancient pagan holidays are related to a single type of astronomical event in use prior to the widespread advent of accurate calendars: the cross-quarter dates. A cross-quarter date is midway, in terms of the number of days, between an equinox and a solstice. There are about 360 days in a year; 90 days between an equinox and a solistice (1/4 year). A cross-quarter date marks 1/8 of a year or about 45 days. There are four cross-quarter dates throughout the year. They generally correspond to modern minor holidays: Groundhog Day, May Day and Halloween. Back in the pre-clock - pre-calendar days, knowing the spring cross-quarter date was a survival matter - as it signals a latest crop planting time before the onset of summer heat.

Answer 4

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, fruit, and other treats. It is celebrated in parts of the Western world, most commonly in the United States, Canada, the UK, Ireland and Puerto Rico, and with increasing popularity in Australia and New Zealand, as well as the Philippines. In recent years, Halloween is also celebrated in parts of Western Europe, such as Belgium and France. Halloween originated as a Pagan festival among the Celts of Ireland and Great Britain with Irish, Scots, Welsh and other immigrants transporting versions of the tradition 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"[1] (also known as "All Saints' Day"). The holiday was a day of religious festivities in various northern European Pagan traditions, until Popes Gregory III and Gregory IV moved the old Christian feast of All Saints Day from May 13 to November 1. 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 festival is also known as Samhain or Oíche Shamhna to the Irish, Calan Gaeaf to the Welsh, Allantide to the Cornish and Hop-tu-Naa to the Manx. Halloween is also called Pooky Night in some parts of Ireland, presumably named after the púca, a mischievous spirit.

Many European cultural traditions hold that Halloween is one of the liminal times of the year when spirits 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 5

The simple answer is that it is All Hallows Eve meaning it's the night before All Saint's Day and similare to how mardi Gras is the last day you can party before lent halloween is the last day you can do certain things before all saint's day. it was also considered the day the Demons partied because the next day they couldn't.

Answer 6

Halloween is an observance celebrated on the night of October 3c4ca4238a0b92382dcc509a6f75849b, maximum extraordinarily by capacity of babies dressing in costumes and going door-to-door gathering chocolates or funds. it incredibly is widely known in many of the Western international, nevertheless maximum uncomplicated contained in u.s., Puerto Rico, eire, the united kingdom and Canada. it incredibly is popularity is increasing appreciably in Australia, and is oftentimes pronounced by capacity of many interior the country. Irish, Scots and different immigrants delivered older variations of the custom to North u.s. interior the c4ca4238a0b92382dcc509a6f75849b9th century. maximum different Western international places have embraced Halloween as area of yank pop subculture interior the previous due twentieth century. The term Halloween, and its older spelling Hallowe'en, is shortened from All-hallow-even, because it incredibly is the night previously "All Hallows Day".[a million] In eire, the call replaced into All Hallows Eve and this call continues to be utilized by capacity of a few older people. Halloween replaced into additionally oftentimes noted as All Saints' Eve. the holiday replaced right into an afternoon of non secular festivities in multiple northern eu pagan traditions, till it replaced into appropriated by capacity of Christian missionaries and given a Christian interpretation. In Mexico November c4ca4238a0b92382dcc509a6f75849bst and 2d are celebrated using fact the Day of the lifeless. Halloween is likewise noted as Pooky night in some factors of eire, probably named after the %., a mischievous spirit. On large Britain and eire especially, the pagan Celts celebrated the Day of the lifeless on All Hallows Day (c4ca4238a0b92382dcc509a6f75849bst November). The spirits supposedly rose from the lifeless and, with the intention to charm to them, nutrition replaced into left on the doors. To scare off the evil spirits, the Celts wore mask. while the Romans invaded large Britain, they adorned the custom with their very own, it incredibly is the two a occasion of the harvest and of honoring the lifeless. very a lot later, those traditions have been transported to u.s., Canada and Australia. Halloween is each and every from time to time linked with the occult. Many eu cultural traditions carry that Halloween is likely one in each and every of the liminal situations of the year while the religious international could make touch with the actual international and while magic is maximum powerful (e.g. Catalan mythology approximately witches).

Answer 7

Here's an excellent resource for info on Halloween

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

Answer 8

Celts. Samhain. Look on google.

Answer 9

It's a celebraton of the fall harvest, of our ancestors, and the coming winter.