Ghosts, goblins,
witches, vampires, skeletons, and the
spirits of the dead today conjure up the latest Hollywood horror
movie. But when the doorbell ominously rings on October 31st
and the creaking door is slowly, apprehensively, tremulously
swung open, the exuberant cries of "Trick or Treat"
that eagerly
fill your ears can only mean one thing - Halloween.
 The
origin of Halloween has its roots in ancient Celtic traditions
and beliefs. The festival called Samhain celebrated on November
1st was the New Year's Day of the Celts and is considered to
be the predecessor of contemporary Halloween. It was also a day
of the dead, when the souls of those who died during the year
were allowed to walk the night.
Many of the traditional
customs and beliefs associated with
Samhain have persisted as part of the "folk" culture
in the West, for
thousands of years. The nighttime wandering of the dead, the
offering
of food and drink to masked and costumed revelers, and the lighting
of
bonfires, are some of the traditions that continue to be practiced
on
October 31st - what has become known as the Eve of All Saints,
the
Eve of All Hallows, or Hallow Even.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the
Renaissance and Reformation, the once wild and powerful spirits
of Samhain and traditional cultures were considered by the church
to be evil. The gods, goddesses, and other spiritual beings of
traditional religions were considered to be manifestations and
servants of the Devil. Thus, the cast of characters associated
with Halloween has come to include the representations
of ghosts, skeletons, the devil, evil creatures, witches, and
goblins.
Like
many holidays Halloween is an amalgamation of many traditions
and beliefs. In England on the eve of Guy Fawkes Day (November
5th), known as Mischief Night, children are allowed to play pranks
on adults, just as in many U.S. cities the 30th of October is
sometimes known as Mischief Night. In the Harz Mountains in Germany,
Walpurgisnacht, or the eve of St. Walpurgis Day (the eve of May
1st) witches, demons, and the spirits of the dead were supposed
to be very active haunting the night. In Mexico and in many other
Latin American countries, November 1st and 2nd is the Day of
the Dead - El Dias de los Muertos. Candy skulls, skeletons, toys,
statues and decorationsare seen everywhere. It's a day of festivity
where families build home alters, decorate graves, make offerings
of special bread for the dead, attend religious services, and
celebrate and remember the dead.
Although not officially
a national holiday, Halloween is one of the most popular American
celebrations with a rich history of regional traditions that
make it fun for adults and children alike.
|
