ORIGIN & BRIEF HISTORY OF HALLOWEEN- ‘CELTIC & CHRISTIAN ORIGINS’

Halloween is a famous festival that is celebrated in the Western world. Especially the Christians celebrate it as it is a key part of the Christian traditions. Furthermore, also as part of their religious and cultural values. In fact it’s a centuries old tradition that has been adapted with time and there have been many changes that have taken place since its origin. These are changes in the way it is celebrated. For example, the parties, and the costumes for both children and adult. Furthermore, the way people interact and mingle on this occasion has changed significantly.

This is according to the traditions dating back from 1800 mid to late. The Irish and the Scottish immigrants in Canada brought customs such as wearing disguises to ward off ghosts. Also, offering food to spirits to bring them at peace and acknowledge their presence. This is something that has led to the celebrations of Halloween in Canada. It’s a festival that has transformed since that date. Apart from this, broken down into Celtic origin and Christian Origin. Ironically, being the two origins that relates to Halloween.

As part of the new celebrations and traditional and cultural values. The children in West, especially Canada and England wear costumes of different kind and vibrant colors. The usual traditional significance relates to children going from door to door in towns and cities and asking for gifts, chocolates and sweets. Hence, while sharing love and celebrating Halloween with passion and cultural values.

The origin of Halloween is broken down into Celtic and Christian origin.

1. CELTIC ORIGIN OF HALLOWEEN: 

The customs that relates to Halloween are said to be likely derived from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain i.e. pronounced Sow-in. The word means ‘summer’s End’ or the End of Summer is the Gaelic word for November. This is according to the beliefs of the Celtic that the evening of the 31^st of October marked the division between the light and the dark halves of the year. This means the mingling of the ‘Good’ and the ‘Evil’, or represents the angels and demons. This is more or less why the costumes for children and the teenagers are designed in form of evil dresses. Apart from this, some girls are also dressed like witches.

In early ages, it was considered as the time when the boundary between the living and the dead was found to be the thinnest, or amalgamation of the two worlds. It is also believed as part of the myths that all the types of ghosts, fairies, and demons also including the souls of the dead, were able to visit the living. All the myths related to Halloween are also covered in novels. Apart from the novels, the films showing the combination or merging of the two worlds.

2. CHRISTIAN ORIGIN OF HALLOWEEN:

There are also myths as according to some people Halloween partly originated in Christianity. It is something that is stemming from the All Saints Day. That is a day all the Saints (or hallows) of the Church are honored. The word ‘Halloween’ also has some Christian origins and is also derived from All Hallows’ Eve. This is the evening before All Saints Day or All Hallows Day.