The story of Halloween has its roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain, which was celebrated from October 31st to November 1st. Here’s a simplified version of the story in English:
The Story of Halloween
Long ago, in the ancient Celtic lands of what is now Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man, there was a festival known as Samhain. The Celts believed that on the evening of October 31st, the boundary between the world of the living and the world of the dead became blurred. It was a time when spirits could walk the earth, and the dead could return to their homes.
According to Celtic belief, the night before the new year (which began on November 1st), the spirits of the dead would come back to earth. To protect themselves from these malevolent spirits, the Celts would build bonfires and wear costumes, often made of animal skins, to disguise themselves as animals and spirits.
The festival also involved the construction of “skeleton” figures from stones and wood, which were placed in homes to ward off evil spirits. These figures are reminiscent of the jack-o’-lanterns that are popular today.
As the centuries passed, the festival was adopted by the Christian Church. In the 8th century, the Catholic Church designated November 1st as All Saints’ Day, a day to honor all the saints. To coincide with this, the Church also designated November 2nd as All Souls’ Day, a day to remember and pray for the souls of the dead.
In the 10th century, the Church combined All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day with Samhain, creating a new holiday known as All Hallows’ Eve, which is the night before All Saints’ Day. Over time, the name was shortened to Halloween.
Today, Halloween is celebrated in many countries around the world, and its traditions have evolved. Children go trick-or-treating, wearing costumes, asking for treats like candy at houses, while adults might have parties and dress up in elaborate costumes. The jack-o’-lantern, originally a carved turnip or potato, has become a symbol of the holiday, representing the ancient practice of placing a lighted candle inside a hollowed-out vegetable to ward off evil spirits.
Halloween is a blend of ancient Celtic and Christian traditions, a time when the living honor the dead and celebrate the mysteries of life and death.
This story is a simplified version of the complex origins of Halloween, which has been influenced by various cultures and religions over the centuries.
