Halloween day is a holiday celebrated each year on October 31. It is the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which lived 2000 years ago and celebrated the new year on November 1. They believed that the night before the new year is when the ghosts of the dead return to the earth.
Celtic priests or Druids built huge sacred bonfires where people feathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to Celtic deities, wherein people would wear spooky costumes to ward off the ghosts.
All Soul’s Day
Trick or treat is a tradition that dates back to the Souls day celebrated in England, where poor people are given food or money in return for their promise to pray for the dead relatives. The church made November 2 “All Soul’s Day.”
It was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with spooky costumes as saints, angels, devils with big bonfires, and parades.
History of Trick or Treat
The Americans started this tradition, where people would go house to house to ask for food or money, which became popularly known as “Trick or Treat.” In 1800, America molded Halloween into a holiday that was more about the get-together of communities than about ghosts and pranks.
So Halloween parties became the most common way to celebrate the day with adults and childrens. In addition, parties focused on playing games, having food, and having festive costumes.
Halloween Parties
During the 1920s and 1930s, Halloween had become a community-centered holiday. But despite various efforts, vandalism began to take place in many communities during this time. But by the 1950s, town leaders limited vandalism, and Halloween had become a holiday for young and old.
The Americans spend approximately $6 billion annually on Halloween day, making it the second-largest holiday commercially after Christmas.
All Souls Day
Trick or treat is a tradition that dates back to the Souls day celebrated in England, where poor people are given food or money in return for their promise to pray for the dead relatives.
The distribution of soul cakes is a practice encouraged by the church. It replaces the ancient practice of leaving food and wine for spirits and giving it to the needy instead.
The practice was eventually taken up by children who would visit the houses in their neighborhood and be given food and money.
