Trick or Treat? What is Halloween - Celtic Samhain or All Hallows' Eve

The annual Trick-or-Treating in spooky costumes, begging for candy, watching scary films and visiting graveyards, Halloween, is perhaps one of the best nights of the year for children in the U.S.  Is it really an American thing? What are the origins? Who celebrates it and who opposes it?  The answer is not as clear cut … according to Wikipedia, Halloween originates from western European harvest festivals, festivals of the dead, pagan celebrations - the Celtic Samhain, and/or has Christian roots.  

Celtic Samhain - Historians suggests that Halloween originates from the Celtic festival of Samhain, meaning "summer's end" in Old Irish. Samhain was the first of the four days in the medieval Gaelic (Irish, Scottish and Manx) calendar. Festivals were held during this period each year throughout Celtic lands. It marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter.  Throughout the Gaelic world, bonfires were lit and some claim that rituals involved human sacrifice. Samhain was considered a period when the 'door' to the Otherworld opened enough for the souls of the dead, and other supernatural beings to come into our world. The souls of the dead were said to revisit their homes on this night.

Wearing costumes may have originated as a means of disguising from these harmful spirits. In Ireland, people went out at dusk collecting for Samhain feasts while wearing costumes. It is said that in the 19th century on Ireland's southern coast, a man dressed in white would lead children door-to-door collecting food, and by giving them food, the household could expect good fortune. Trick-or-treating may have come from this. 

All Hallows' Eve - Halloween may also have come about by the Christian holy days of All Saints' Day (also known as All Hallows) on November 1 and All Souls' Day on November 2. This is a time for honoring the saints and praying for the recently departed. By the end of the 12th century these holy days across Europe involved traditions like ringing bells for the souls. "Souling", the custom of baking and sharing soul cakes for "all christened souls", is considered the origin of trick-or-treating for many.  Groups of children would go door-to-door on All Saints/All Souls collecting soul cakes. The custom of wearing costumes has been linked the belief that the souls of the dead wandered the earth until All Saints' Day.  All Hallows' Eve provided one last chance for the dead to gain vengeance on their enemies before moving to the next world. So, in order to avoid being recognized by any soul that might be seeking vengeance, people would wear costumes to disguise themselves. 

In Scotland and Ireland, traditional Halloween customs include children in costume going "guising", holding parties, lighting bonfires, and having fireworks. In the U.S. and Canada, Halloween involves “trick-or-treating”, costume parties, candy gorging and pumpkin carving.  

So have fun tonight!

Trick or treat!!

 Smell my feet!

 Give me something good to eat!

 If you don't, I won't be sad...

 I'll just make you wish you had!

Happy Halloween!

Read More Language Fun Facts
Enjoy Language Translations for Real Life Blog
Discover our International Translation Agency and Localization Services

If you like this Fun Fact please share now! Thanks