Halloween: The True Story Behind the October 31st Celebration

Halloween, the true story behind the October 31st celebration , is a popular celebration in the United States, but its popularity has crossed borders beyond the Anglo-Saxon world. How did Halloween become a popular celebration?

This celebration has long been linked to American cinema. With the arrival of October, the leaves of the trees paint the sidewalks with autumn colors, giant pumpkins emerge and children dressed in costumes are seen asking for candy in American neighborhoods.

Origins of Halloween

The origin of Halloween dates back to an ancient pagan festival celebrated by the Celts 2,000 years ago, called Samhain . Taking place in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and northwestern France , this festival was celebrated on November 1 to commemorate the beginning of winter and the end of the harvest. The Celts believed that Samhain was a time when the souls of the dead returned to the world of the living to visit their homes.

Exactly how the ancient Celts celebrated Samhain is not known , as there are not many written records. It is said that during the festival bonfires were lit on hilltops to ward off evil spirits. The tradition of wearing costumes began here, when villagers wore masks to avoid being recognized by ghosts.

Why is Halloween celebrated on October 31?

The Celtic year ended on October 31 , marking a division between a time of light (spring and summer) and a time of darkness (autumn and winter). For the Celts, October 31 represented the beginning of a new cycle that would move from the darkest days to the brightest.

Samhain was therefore a true farewell, which went beyond a simple goodbye to the summer season. The Celts said goodbye to Lugh, the god of the Sun. This celebration began on October 31 and, together with the Celtic New Year festivities, lasted for three days.

Immigrants leaving Europe during the 19th century brought the celebration of All Hallows’ Eve to the United States and Canada . In the 1840s, many of them were Catholics of Irish origin who, driven by the Great Irish Famine, brought with them the holiday of their ancestors.

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However, it was not until 1921, when the first Halloween parade was held in Minnesota , that the festival became more and more popular. Over the following decades, the festival became more and more popular, until it became international thanks to television series and movies in 1970. In 1978, John Carpenter’s horror film, “Halloween,” was released.