Halloween is celebrated every year on October 31 to mark the eve western Christian feast of all hallows’ day on November 1. The celebration marks the day before the Western Christian feast of All Saints and initiates the season of Allhallowtide, which lasts three days and concludes with All Souls’ Day.
The origin of the word Halloween is from the Scottish word, ‘All Hallows Eve’.
However, in most parts of North America and Europe, Halloween is considered a non-religious festival.
The celebration of Halloween includes activities like trick-or-treating, carving pumpkins, attending costume parties, and games, lighting bonfires and watching Halloween-themed films!
History of Halloween
It is believed that Celts, who lived hundreds of years ago in Ireland, northern France and England introduced Halloween. They used to call the festival Samhain, which marked the end of summer on November 1.
Some Celts believed that ghosts and spirits visited earth a day before Samhain on October 31. Hence, the modern-day celebrations of Halloween is associated with everything spooky.
Why do we carve pumpkins on Halloween?
One of the primary traditions of Halloween includes carving pumpkins, inspired by the legend Stingy Jack. The popular belief is that he made a deal with the Devil that he would never go to jail.
However, upon Jack’s death, he learned that heaven was beyond his reach because of his wrongdoings. He was further condemned to wander the earth as a ghost forever. Jack carried a lump of burning coal gifted to him by the Devil in a carved-out turnip to light his way.
Since pumpkins are cheaper than turnips, people carve the pumpkin to celebrate the Legend of Jack.
Happy Halloween!!!!!!
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