what is the Halloween ?

Answer 1

That depends entirely upon what type of answer you are looking for. For many people in the United States, it is just a holiday for people to buy candy and distribute it to the children who dress up as their favorite ghoul, hero or otherwise.

For others, it is known as All Hallow's Eve. This is a day in which supernatural energies are at their most and sightings of demons, ghosts and other supernatural beings increase. Spells cast upon this day are supposed to never fail as long as the heart of the one casting it has intentions of good.

It also started as a way to keep demons out in another country. People would put treats onto their doorsteps to ward off the demons and those that did not offer the treats would be subject to the tricks of the demon. Trick or treat....

Answer 2

What Halloween actually is and what it has been distorted into by the terribly misinformed is two entirely different things.

The word Halloween comes from All Hallow's Eve, the evening before All Saints' Day which precedes All Souls' Day.

Before that it was the New Year for the Celtic people known as Samhain (pronounced So-wen): the beginning of winter and the harvest. The celts believed that certain nebulous times that weren't clearly defined such as twilight, dawn just before the sunrise when it was neither day or night was a time when the barriers between worlds was weakest. On a night which mark the end of one year and the beginning of another, the barriers were exceptionally weak and all kinds of evil spirits came through.

The Ancient Celts did NOT worship these spirits. In fact they wanted to get rid of them post haste hence the masks, jack-o-lanterns (then carved turnips), and bonfires. The masks had a psychologically emboldening effect on the wearer so they could scare away evil spirits.

What Halloween has been distorted into is some Satanic Pagan Celebration of the Lord of the Dead - Samhain.

Alot of the crap about Celebrations of Death came from shoddy research and biased theories without any evidence. Samhain - which these clueless pious "scholars" often pronounce exactly as it's spelled in English and therefore completely WRONG - is thought to be the Lord of the Dead which the evil pagan celts worshipped. There was a samhain but he was a mythological hero of no account not a god of the dead. I'm sure he'd appreciate the millenium belated promotion but it just isn't so.

Answer 3

So where did Halloween come from?

For thousands of years people have been celebrating different holidays and festivals at the end of October. The Celts celebrated it as Samhain (pronounced "sow-in", with "sow" rhyming with cow). The Irish English dictionary published by the Irish Texts Society defines the word as follows:

"Samhain, All Hallowtide, the feast of the dead in Pagan and Christian times, signalizing the close of harvest and the initiation of the winter season, lasting till May, during which troops (esp. the Fiann) were quartered. Faeries were imagined as particularly active at this season. From it the half year is reckoned. also called Feile Moingfinne (Snow Goddess).(1) The Scottish Gaelis Dictionary defines it as "Hallowtide. The Feast of All Soula. Sam + Fuin = end of summer."(2) Contrary to the information published by many organizations, there is no archaeological or literary evidence to indicate that Samhain was a deity. The Celtic Gods of the dead were Gwynn ap Nudd for theBritish, and Arawn for the Welsh. The Irish did not have a "lord of death" as such.

The information on Samhain is from Rowan Moonstone's The Origins of Halloween.

(1) Rev. Patrick Dineen, "An Irish English Dictionary" (Dublin, 1927), p. 937 (2) Malcolm MacLennan,
"A Pronouncing and Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language" (Aberdeen, 1979), p. 279


The Celts believed that every year on the last day of October, the souls of the dead visited the earth.

When the Romans conquered the Celts in the first century A.D., they added parts of their festivals, Feralia and Poloma to the tradition. Feralia was a festival to honor the dead and Poloma was a harvest festival named after the goddess of fruit (apples) and trees.

Around the eighth century, the Christian church made November 1 All Saints' Day to honor all of the saints that didn't have a special day of their own. Over the years these festivals combined, the mass held on All Saints' Day was called Allhallowmas (the mass of all Hallows -- saintly people). The night before was known as All Hallows Eve. Eventually this name became Halloween.

In the 1800s, as a lot of people emigrated to the U.S., the holidays and traditions of different cultures merged. Halloween was not always a happy time. October 31, or the night before took on other names. Some called it Devil's or Hell night, to others it was mischief night. To some people this became a time to play tricks on others. Some of these tricks were not fun at all. Luckily, community groups and individuals took action and started to change Halloween into a family event. Dressing up in costumes and going "trick or treating" (going to houses, knocking on the door & asking for small treats or toys), costume parades, community parties and Fall festivals are some of the ways that Halloween is celebrated today.

The costumes are thought to have originated with the belief that the dead walked the earth on All Hallows Eve, and the dead would not recognize the living if they were dressed as if they were demons, witches or other appropriate beings. Today, costumes are worn for fun, and range from the delightful to the frightful!

Other countries have different Fall festivals to honor the deceased.

The Festival of the Dead is one of the most important happenings in both Palermo and the rest of Sicily. The second of November is a festival day for the children of Palermo as, according to tradition, they were made to believe that their dead relatives would return the night before and leave them traditional sweets and cakes on the table (Martorana fruit, which is almond paste made into the shape of different fruit). They would also receive puppets of boiled sugar and toys. It's one way of keeping the memory of their dead relatives and loved ones alive. (from the neomedia Web site)

In Mexico they celebrate El Dia de los Muertos or the Day of the Dead.

Although celebrated in all Catholic countries as All Saints' and All Souls' Days, surely no other peoples have embraced the festival of The Day of the Dead to the extent that the Mexicans have. The celebration begins on the evening of October 31, so the name Los Dias de los Muertos is also often used. This festival is considered by many to be the most important holiday of the year in Mexico

Answer 4

That depends entirely upon what type of answer you are looking for. For many people in the United States, it is just a holiday for people to buy candy and distribute it to the children who dress up as their favorite ghoul, hero or otherwise.

For others, it is known as All Hallow's Eve. This is a day in which supernatural energies are at their most and sightings of demons, ghosts and other supernatural beings increase. Spells cast upon this day are supposed to never fail as long as the heart of the one casting it has intentions of good.

It also started as a way to keep demons out in another country. People would put treats onto their doorsteps to ward off the demons and those that did not offer the treats would be subject to the tricks of the demon. Trick or treat....
or
So where did Halloween come from?

For thousands of years people have been celebrating different holidays and festivals at the end of October. The Celts celebrated it as Samhain (pronounced "sow-in", with "sow" rhyming with cow). The Irish English dictionary published by the Irish Texts Society defines the word as follows:

"Samhain, All Hallowtide, the feast of the dead in Pagan and Christian times, signalizing the close of harvest and the initiation of the winter season, lasting till May, during which troops (esp. the Fiann) were quartered. Faeries were imagined as particularly active at this season. From it the half year is reckoned. also called Feile Moingfinne (Snow Goddess).(1) The Scottish Gaelis Dictionary defines it as "Hallowtide. The Feast of All Soula. Sam + Fuin = end of summer."(2) Contrary to the information published by many organizations, there is no archaeological or literary evidence to indicate that Samhain was a deity. The Celtic Gods of the dead were Gwynn ap Nudd for theBritish, and Arawn for the Welsh. The Irish did not have a "lord of death" as such.

The information on Samhain is from Rowan Moonstone's The Origins of Halloween.

(1) Rev. Patrick Dineen, "An Irish English Dictionary" (Dublin, 1927), p. 937 (2) Malcolm MacLennan,
"A Pronouncing and Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language" (Aberdeen, 1979), p. 279


The Celts believed that every year on the last day of October, the souls of the dead visited the earth.

When the Romans conquered the Celts in the first century A.D., they added parts of their festivals, Feralia and Poloma to the tradition. Feralia was a festival to honor the dead and Poloma was a harvest festival named after the goddess of fruit (apples) and trees.

Around the eighth century, the Christian church made November 1 All Saints' Day to honor all of the saints that didn't have a special day of their own. Over the years these festivals combined, the mass held on All Saints' Day was called Allhallowmas (the mass of all Hallows -- saintly people). The night before was known as All Hallows Eve. Eventually this name became Halloween.

In the 1800s, as a lot of people emigrated to the U.S., the holidays and traditions of different cultures merged. Halloween was not always a happy time. October 31, or the night before took on other names. Some called it Devil's or Hell night, to others it was mischief night. To some people this became a time to play tricks on others. Some of these tricks were not fun at all. Luckily, community groups and individuals took action and started to change Halloween into a family event. Dressing up in costumes and going "trick or treating" (going to houses, knocking on the door & asking for small treats or toys), costume parades, community parties and Fall festivals are some of the ways that Halloween is celebrated today.

The costumes are thought to have originated with the belief that the dead walked the earth on All Hallows Eve, and the dead would not recognize the living if they were dressed as if they were demons, witches or other appropriate beings. Today, costumes are worn for fun, and range from the delightful to the frightful!

Other countries have different Fall festivals to honor the deceased.

The Festival of the Dead is one of the most important happenings in both Palermo and the rest of Sicily. The second of November is a festival day for the children of Palermo as, according to tradition, they were made to believe that their dead relatives would return the night before and leave them traditional sweets and cakes on the table (Martorana fruit, which is almond paste made into the shape of different fruit). They would also receive puppets of boiled sugar and toys. It's one way of keeping the memory of their dead relatives and loved ones alive. (from the neomedia Web site)

In Mexico they celebrate El Dia de los Muertos or the Day of the Dead.

Although celebrated in all Catholic countries as All Saints' and All Souls' Days, surely no other peoples have embraced the festival of The Day of the Dead to the extent that the Mexicans have. The celebration begins on the evening of October 31, so the name Los Dias de los Muertos is also often used. This festival is considered by many to be the most important holiday of the year in Mexico

Answer 5

Halloween is an annual celebration,Is it, as some claim, a kind of demon worship? Or is it just a harmless vestige of some ancient pagan ritual?

Answer 6

http://dede.essortment.com/halloweenorigin_rviu.htm

Answer 7

We do not do Halloween. I don't know what I as a Christian would even be observing, as there wasn't and isn't to my knowledge any reason for Christians to rejoice about it in the first place. Rather it is all about evil and wicked things that people try to impersonate. And rather than anything being a fact that we can rejoice about, it would seem to me that Christians are now trying to take this wicked observance and trying to make something good about it. And as the years go by, Satan just seems to be making it become more and more evil. And Harvest Parties if they are done on Halloween they are most likely being done as a substitute to Halloween and not actually to thank the Lord for the harvest and most likely include ties to Halloween. I think celebrating Halloween in any way opens a door that should not be opened.
1Th 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

Psa 101:3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.

Abstain

Touch not

NO wicked thing

Halloween was evil from the day it started. It was all pagan peoples communicating and celebrating the dead!
it's spirit filled (and not the good kind) holiday geared at tricking the evil spirits by disguising yourself so they won't recognize you. People dressed up as witches and goblins, gravestones and ghosts everywhere, why would you want to take part in something like this?

You know, there is a scripture in the Bible, in Exodus 32, where Aaron did just what some are considering doing. The disgruntled people Moses had brought out of Egypt were tired of waiting on Moses to come down out of the mountain. They had about decided he was never coming down. So they started after Aaron to make them gods to go before them. He finally gave in, and helped them make a golden calf, then he decided to "Christianize" it, (well, okay, there weren't Christians back then, but you know what I mean) by declaring it to be a "festival to the Lord." (verse 5)
Did God accept that? NO! He told Moses "Go down, because you people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them...they are a stiff necked people. Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them." It was only by Moses begging that any of them were saved from death and destruction.
Many Christians do not realize that certain traditions that are celebrated in the world have evil origins. Just because our society partakes in certain activities does not make them acceptable for Christians. We must look to Christ and His Word to see if the traditions of this world are good or evil.
Mark 7:13: "Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye."
One very evil tradition is the celebration of Halloween. No Christian should partake in the activities of this holiday, nor should they allow their children to do so. We can discern the evil of this day by taking a look at the festivities that are associated with its celebration. Children are dressed as witches, goblins, ghosts, little devils and fortune tellers. All these are representatives of Satan's kingdom. Games played at carnivals promote fear in children as they are ushered through spook houses and horror rooms. Skeletons, black cats and bats represent death and darkness. No carnival is complete without the gypsy who tells fortunes. Satan has gained man's approval to celebrate his day by simply making it a tradition that seems like a fun day. The opposite is true, however, as more damage and harm are done on this day each year than any other holiday. Children are taught to go door to door chanting "trick or treat." It is unchristian to demand a gift under threat of playing some trick. Police are on the alert for juvenile vandalism and caution parents to be watchful.
Because so many have grown up celebrating Halloween, and seemingly did not experience any negative effects, some feel that not celebrating Halloween at all is an extreme measure. I would encourage you to pray about this. Is any holiday that glorifies death and darkness (even in fun) a proper thing for a Christian to do since we have been called out of darkness into His marvelous light?
1 Peter 2:9: "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light."
Whether we feel that we have been really hurt by celebrating Halloween or not, is only part of the issue. How does God feel to see His people making light of demons and witchcraft? Shouldn't we be thinking about how to honor Him and show our love to Him? Where do our loyalties lie?
The earliest Halloween celebrations were not held by the early church, but the Druids in honor of Samhain. Halloween actually means "holy or hallowed evening."
Parents have a responsibility not to allow their children to be exposed to these evil celebrations. What might seem to some as innocent children's games can open the door to satanic influence and even demon possession in some cases. It also introduces children to witchcraft, making it easier for them to become involved in cults and occultic activities. When children are taught it is all right to play with the things of darkness, it does not give them the repulsion and resistance that they need to stand against greater Satanic involvement. When the things of Satan are taken lightly, as games and fun, it sets our children up to accept evil rather than to resist it.
Ephesians 5:6-12: "Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret."