The History of Halloween

When you think of Halloween, the thing that first comes to mind is scary costumes and candy, but it wasn’t always like that. The origins of Halloween date back to the Celtic festival of Samhain, which was celebrated on the evening of October 31, much like Halloween today. During this festival, people would light bonfires to ward off ghosts because they believed that on October 31, the dead would return to the living world. Their New Year was then celebrated the day after, on November 1. Another tradition they had that was similar to the ones we have today is costumes,  although their costumes were a bit different than the ones used today, as the Celts typically wore animal heads and skins.

By 43 AD, the Romans had taken over the majority of Celtic land, and over the course of the 400 years they ruled the Celts, the Romans combined their traditions with Samhain. One of these traditions was Feralia, the day the Romans celebrated the passing of the dead. The second tradition was the day set aside to honor their goddess of fruit and trees, Pomona. What’s interesting is that Pomona’s symbol is the apple, which many believe is why there is a tradition of bobbing for apples on Halloween.

Later, in 609 AD, All Martyrs Day was established on May 13 in the western church. It was later expanded to include saints as well, earning it the name All Saints Day. Then, the observance was moved from May 13 to November 1st; November 2nd became All Souls Day and was celebrated very similarly to Samhain, with both celebrations involving lighting large bonfires to ward off spirits. All Saints Day was also sometimes called All Hallows or All Hallomas. Eventually, the night before All Saints Day became known as All Hallows' Eve, and later, Halloween.

Now we find ourselves in colonial times, where Halloween was not a very popular holiday due to the strict Protestant beliefs of those in the area. It was mostly celebrated by people in Maryland and the Southern Colonies. Over time, the traditions of the European settlers and the Native Americans in that area formed a Halloween similar to the one we celebrate today. 

On the topic of the evolution of Halloween, one tradition that we cannot seem to shake off is its dangers. While the threats are not the same as they were 2,000 years ago when the Celts were around, they are still dangerous nonetheless. The National Library of Medicine states, “Children are four  times more likely to be struck by cars on Halloween than on other nights.”  This can be a cause for concern, given the fact that many parents do not seem to worry about sending their children out unsupervised on one of the most dangerous nights to do so. 

This same article also mentions that deaths increase exponentially on Halloween as opposed to other nights in the year. Car crashes are just among some of the more popular dangers of Halloween, but many others are lurking in the shadows. The National Library of Medicine states, “The literature can assist with identifying some of the more unique risks of Halloween: ocular injuries from flying eggs, flatus from Gummy Bears, and intestinal perforations from sewing needles”. You never think it can happen to you until it does. Although Halloween is a fun and creative holiday with a rich and interesting history, that does not make it any less dangerous. On a night like this, seemingly harmless things can make a lifetime of difference.