What does halloween really mean?

Question

Some people say halloween is the devil's birthday. Some say that it's just the time to eat candy. Some says it's just a fun day to dress up. But what does Halloween really mean?

Answer 1

It is a pagan celebration, more particularly within the Wiccan religion. It is not satanic, or associated with satan (which literally means enemy, not some demonic being), and is not evil. Through commercialism and religious fear and manipulation, some now believe these nonsensical things.

Answer 2

The name Halloween comes from "all holy's eve" the day before All Saints Day, a big church holiday in the Middle Ages. Like many Christian holidays it has it's roots in a former pagan one.

In pagan times October 31st was recognized one of the four days midway between a solstice and equinox. The pagans believed that the forces between the worlds of the living and the dead were at their weakest and at this time the two worlds could merge.

Also October 31st was also the last possible harvest for the farmers of northern Europe. Everything had to be stored away and prepared for the long coming winter. Livestock also had to be slaughtered because rarely did any farmer have enough silage and hay to keep them all alive for the whole winter. Some of the animals were preserved and some were cooked in one last communal celebration of the harvest.

Many families knew by then if they had enough food stored away to make through the winter or if they would starve to death before spring. Most of their neighbors also had a good idea who would survive and who won't. So in a way the living were partying with the dead (or at least soon to be dead).

All this nonsense about the devil's birthday is just that -nonsense. Christians have attacked pagan culture because it challenges their mythology of the world.

The best thing is to enjoy the holiday, dress up, have some candy and don't worry about what other people say.

Answer 3

What Does Halloween Really Mean

Answer 4

What Does Halloween Stand For

Answer 5

Um... It was to celebrate the dead in some cultures, another it was the devil's birthday, It is also spelled Hallowe'en

Wikipedia:The term Halloween (and its alternative rendering Hallowe'en) is shortened from All-hallow-even, as it is the eve of "All Hallows' Day",[1] also which is now known as All Saints' Day.

Many European cultural traditions, in particular Celtic cultures, 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 (according to, for example, Catalan mythology about witches and Irish tales of the Sídhe).

Answer 6

The word halloween is literally the eve of All Hallows or All Saints Day, which is on 1st November - the day after Halloween .

Answer 7

Candy, go to this Wikipedia link. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween
It will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about Halloween...about it's pagan beginnings, about how it's association with All Saint Day came about, and about Halloween traditions all over the world.

Answer 8

It was once simply a memorial day similiar to our own. The "evil" surrounding the day was added by outside faiths, which was pretty evil of them to do.

Answer 9

forgive them father for they know what they do a pegan holiday is a holiday against God , theres not such thing as good witches. be not deceived

Answer 10

I think it means that u get to go stay up late and get all kinds of candy.spend time with your family.