Halloween: the history of the origin of the holiday. Cheerful and reckless Halloween: a holiday of evil spirits When they celebrate Halloween
Halloween date in 2020 is October 31st, which means that the darkest holiday of the year with a pumpkin flavor will come very soon. A holiday of freedom, rampant evil spirits, faith in spirits. With this holiday we celebrate winter.
On the night of November 1, the door to the other world opens for several hours, and all kinds of evil spirits - vampires, werewolves, demons, evil spirits - flood the earth. It is important not only to propitiate them at a magnificent table, but also to scare them away with a hollowed-out pumpkin with a candle.
pagan halloween roots
Halloween is one of the oldest holidays in the world. It intertwined the Celtic tradition of honoring evil spirits and the Christian tradition of worshiping all saints. The history of Halloween goes back thousands of years, including the Celtic Samhain festival, the Roman Pomona Day, and the Christian All Saints Day.
Centuries ago, the lands of modern Britain and northern France were inhabited by Celtic tribes. They were pagans and as the supreme deity worshiped the god of the Sun. The Celts divided the year into two parts - winter and summer. In winter, the sun god was held captive by Samhain, the lord of the dead and the prince of darkness.
Samhain holiday. which was celebrated on November 1, is the time when winter begins. At this time, summer gives way to winter, day to night, life to death. All barriers between the material and supernatural worlds are removed and the gates between them open for one night. All unfulfilled hopes and plans of the dead returned to earth again, and their souls descended to their native hearth.
The souls of the dead could take on different guises, the evil ones moved into animals, and the most dangerous ones into cats. In order not to become the prey of the dead, people extinguished the fires in their houses and dressed up as scarily as possible, hoping to scare away the ghosts that crawled across the open border. The spirits were put out treats on the street so that they would be satisfied with this and not break into the house. On this night, predictions were made, animals were sacrificed, and then everyone took a tongue of sacred flame into their house to light the winter hearth.
Druids - Celtic priests - gathered in oak groves on the tops of hills, lit bonfires and made sacrifices to evil spirits to propitiate them. And in the mornings, the Druids gave people coals from fires, so that they kindled the hearths of their homes. The fire of the Druids warmed the houses during the long winter and protected the house from evil spirits.
At night, the girls guessed. They threw two chestnuts into the fire of the druids. If the fruits burn nearby, then the girl will live in harmony and harmony with the sweetheart, if they roll in different directions, their paths will go in different directions. A girl could see her future husband by sitting in front of a mirror at midnight with an apple in her hand.
The ancient Celts had another holiday associated with Halloween - the Moon of the Hunter, the last full moon before Samhain. It is believed that this is the time of the highest mental ascent, and at this time the line between the worlds becomes so thin that many entities pass through it.
Christian Halloween Traditions
In the first century AD, the Romans conquered the Celtic territories. During the 400 years that they spent on the lands of the Celts, not only the population, but also traditions mixed up: two Roman holidays were connected with Samhain. The first is Feralia, celebrated at the end of October, something like the day of remembrance of the dead, and the second is in honor of the goddess of fruits and trees, Pomona. Its symbol was an apple, and hence the modern Halloween tradition of playing with apples.
Christianity supplanted the Druids in Great Britain and became the dominant religion, and in the 7th century, Pope Boniface IV approved November 1 as All Hallows Day, which was supposed to glorify saints and martyrs. And the night before All Saints' Day became known as All Hallow's Eve. Over time, the name was reduced to Hallowe'en and eventually to Halloween. Since then, in the celebration of this day, pagan mysticism in an incomprehensible way coexists with Christian.
In the year 1000, the church declared November 2 the Day of All Souls, on which it was supposed to commemorate not the saints, but the simple dead. The commemoration was arranged in the likeness of Samhain - large bonfires, processions, dressing up in costumes of angels and devils. Now all three dates - All Saints' Eve (October 31), Saints' Day and All Souls' Day - are called Halloweenmas (cf. Christmas). By the end of the 19th century, the mystical slant of Halloween was almost done away with, turning it into a public holiday.
Modern Halloween Traditions
Today, from the ancient pagan holiday, there is a set of funny and fascinating traditions. On this night, it is customary to dress in costumes of evil spirits and arrange masquerades and processions. Well, you should not miss the rare chance to feel like a witch or a demon.
People go to bars where competitions are held for the most original and fancy costume. They arrange weddings with an appropriate bias: when the newlyweds are crowned by Dracula, who has risen from a coffin installed right in a gloomy decorated chapel.
In New York, up to two million people gather for the Halloween parade, this parade is usually covered by the largest television channels and broadcast live. Baltimore hosts the Pumpkin Throw, a competition for physics students to find the best invention to keep a pumpkin from breaking apart when it falls from the tenth floor.
An integral symbol of Halloween is a pumpkin head. The inside is removed from the pumpkin, the face is cut out and a candle is inserted inside. The pumpkin symbolizes at the same time the end of the harvest, the evil spirit and the fire that scares it away. So strangely concentrated ancient beliefs in one subject.
On this night, children knock on houses shouting “Treat or trick!” - "Treat or be sorry!". If you do not make a sacrifice, these little evil demons can play cruel tricks on you - for example, smear the door handles with soot.
The imminent approach of Halloween is always signaled by various attributes in the form of pumpkins that appear in shop windows and on store shelves. For hundreds of years, on October 31, Jack-o-lanterns has been shining in every window, scaring away evil spirits. Irish legend tells about the origin of this Halloween symbol.
Once, on the eve of All Saints' Day, the devil himself coveted a drunken blacksmith, nicknamed Stingy Jack, who was sitting in a bar. The blacksmith agreed to give him his soul, but only in exchange for a mug of ale. To buy a drink, the devil had to turn into a coin. Sly Jack put the sixpence in his pocket where he had the silver cross. The devil, tortured by the cross, begged for mercy, and Jack released him, but first he bargained for himself ten years of a quiet life.
When the devil reappeared ten years later, the Irishman hinted at the apple in his last request. When the devil stood on his shoulders to reach the apple branch, Jack quickly scrawled a cross on the bark of the tree. The devil hung in the air and as a result promised that he would not take his soul to himself at all. Finally Jack died. God, of course, refused to put the sinful drunkard in paradise. The devil met Jack on the threshold of the underworld. "I can't take your soul," he said. "Where am I to go?" Jack asked. “Where you came from,” the devil replied. There was total darkness around... Jack asked for fire. And the devil, pulling out a smoldering coal from a hellish fire, gave it to Jack and sent him to wander around the world. The Irishman had a turnip with him. Having cut out the middle, he inserted an infernal ember there - so that it would not blow out with the wind! - and went on his eternal journey. Jack-lantern still roams the earth in anticipation of the Last Judgment and serves as a symbol of the damned soul.
In Ireland and Scotland, terrible faces, into which candles were then inserted, were cut out of turnips and potatoes, in England - from beets. With immigrants, the tradition migrated to America. It turned out that a pumpkin native to the continent is ideal for the role of Jack-o-lantern.
Halloween Mystery
It is a pity that behind these entertainments the ancient meaning of Halloween is forgotten. This holiday intrigues with mystery, with its mythical significance. Halloween is an attempt to understand the connection between our world and the other world. It is a gateway from one world to another. Between two worlds, they belong to both of them - and neither of them. It is also the gateway to winter.
We still tend to perceive winter with dislike and disgust. Everything that lives seems to die. However, the arrival of death is, by definition, the arrival of life. The white desert where Samhain lives is extraordinarily beautiful. She is freed from everything superfluous, superficial. So, it's time to throw off the burden of worries and vanities that have accumulated over the summer and have lost their meaning, following the example of trees that are freed from leaves that have outlived their time. After all, if the trees do not shed them, the dead leaves will not give them the opportunity to come to life again in the spring.
On this night, Samhain opens the gates to the past and the future. Two elements become available in the present. This is the time when a person is not limited by the cell of his time and can realize his place in the web of eternity. However, the transition to another space or time is usually painful. The gate is well guarded. Witches and demons - the heroes of Halloween - are the shadows of the guardians of the gates. From our side of existence, they seem to be frightening embodiments of evil. But if the gate is passed, who will we see when we look back? ..
Somehow this day passes by me, but more and more people became interested in it and I decided to find out what kind of Halloween holiday, where it came from, its essence and traditions. In 2017 and not only, since the date of the celebration is constant, it will be celebrated on the night of October 31 to November 1 on the eve of All Saints Day, which is celebrated by Catholics.
What is Halloween
On the indicated night, suddenly, all kinds of evil spirits are activated in different countries on the streets of cities and towns - sinister and frightening ghouls, vampires, zombies, sometimes quite attractive witches and funny imps. Where does it come from? The answer is simple - the time has come for the celebration of Halloween and all this evil spirits are just people dressed up in such strange costumes.
Although this day is not considered a day off, it is quite widespread in English-speaking countries - Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the USA, Canada and others. Gradually, interest in him is manifested in Russia. Since the Halloween holiday came to us not so long ago, young people show more interest in it and quite cheerfully celebrate it in nightclubs and at parties, dressing up in appropriate costumes.
Why so much interest in this day? I don’t know how it is in other countries, but in our country, it seems to me, firstly, it’s just something new, and secondly, the unusual background of this day, connected with the mysterious other world. Or maybe because they talk a lot about him, and what is heard is of interest. In countries where it is actively celebrated, it is already more of a commercial holiday. Its attributes start to sell from summer and people spend more and more money on it every year. 
Halloween is considered the second, after Christmas, in terms of the total turnover of pre-holiday sales.
The history and essence of Halloween
The history of this day goes back to the pre-Christian era, during the time of the Celtic tribes who lived in the territory of present-day France, Ireland, Great Britain.
They had their own calendar and according to it the year was divided into two parts - the bright part of the year (summer) and the dark part (winter). October 31 - this day was called Samhain, which meant "end of summer", work on the ground was ending, the last harvest was being harvested. Also, October 31 was, according to the Celtic calendar, the last day of the outgoing year. These peoples had a special attitude towards death, they believed that without death there can be no life. After the night, the day comes, the year goes away, but there will be a new one until the leaves on the trees fall, new ones appear, life and death are always there, so it was customary to honor the dead on this day. 
The celebration of the new year began in a few days, lasted a whole week and the night of November 1 was the middle of the holiday. The Celts believed that it was on this New Year's Eve that the door to the other world opened and the dark forces of this world, ghosts, the souls of the dead came out to people. The Celts were afraid of becoming victims of aliens and tried to do everything to scare them away from their homes. They put out fires in their homes, dressed up in animal skins, lit large fires, and slaughtered cattle for sacrifice to pay off the dead. Bonfires were kindled in two rows and passed between them with children in their arms, jumping over small fires. The Celts believed that having gone through such a ritual, they would enter the New Year with a pure soul, since the fire of bonfires could cleanse a person.
They also had a tradition of carving faces from the fruits of fodder turnips that were with a variety of emotions. Leaving the holiday, each family took the head, inside which they put coals from the Holy bonfires, it was believed that this would protect them from evil spirits that could roam even until the morning. In order to protect themselves, they kindled the fire in their dwellings from these coals.
With the advent of Christianity, these pagan rites could have gone into oblivion, since church ministers did not approve of the "sabbath", as they called the celebration of Samhain around the fires.
Apparently, in order to eradicate pagan rites forever, or maybe for some other reason, but Pope Gregory III in the 9th century decided to postpone All Saints' Day from May 13 to November 1. At that time, this day was dedicated to those saints who did not have their holiday during the year. The day before (October 31) was called All Hallows Even or All Hallows Eve in Old English. Later the name was transformed into the familiar Halloween (Halloween). Apparently due to the coincidence of the dates of the pagan holiday of Samhain and All Saints' Day, Christianity has since miraculously coexisted with the mystical traditions and beliefs of Halloween.
In the United States, Halloween appeared thanks to the Irish, who fled en masse to America from hunger and unemployment. The holiday was liked and all the inhabitants of the country began to celebrate it, regardless of race.
Halloween Traditions and Attributes
Of course, modern Halloween has no longer the same traditions that the Celts had.
In America, where Halloween was especially liked, there was a fashion to organize various petty hooliganism on this day, but later, American Boy Scouts, in order to save the holiday, since its popularity was high, decided to promote the celebration without vandalism. Hooliganism was replaced by a masquerade and it is generally believed that this is a holiday of fun, scary stories, practical jokes, games and fortune-telling.
Costumed children and young people go from house to house and beg for sweets, while asking the question: “treats or tricks?” It's also a Halloween tradition. If the owner is suddenly greedy, then they can do him harm, for example, coat the door handle with soot. If they treat, then in response the children sing songs or recite poems.
Especially popular on this day are attractions such as the "Horror Room", "Ghost Room", where visitors are frightened by various frightening sounds, squeaks, howls.
The main attribute of this day is Jack's lamp, which is made from a pumpkin.
To do this, they take a large fruit, cut off the top, remove all the pulp, cut out holes for the eyes and mouth, and put a lit candle inside. It is believed that such a lamp protects the house from evil spirits.
This symbol has a long legend.
One man, named Jack, managed to trick the Devil twice and he promised not to take his soul. But Jack did not lead the most righteous life, accumulated a lot of sins and was not allowed into Paradise after death. Unnecessary to either the Devil or God, Jack began to wander in search of Purgatory. He illuminated his path with a lantern carved from a hollow turnip, in which the remains of coals smoldered.
Costumes are also an obligatory attribute of the holiday and they are very unusual - they are images of various supernatural characters from fairy tales and horror films. 
Decorating your home for Halloween
In addition to the Jack lamp, the house is also decorated with other attributes for the holiday - garlands of bats, a witch's broom, cobwebs with spiders, ghosts are made from sheets, and posters in the theme. There must be a lot of candles to celebrate the holiday without light, only by candlelight. When decorating a room, apples are used, they must also be mandatory and not only as food, but in the form of compositions, candlesticks. 
Outside, the house is decorated with luminous garlands, Jack-o'-lanterns are placed around the garden.
Family feasts on this day are also a tradition, where the main food is apple and pumpkin dishes, for example, they cook baked apples, stuffed pumpkin, bake or. Small surprises are often put into baking and used for predictions, for example, a coin for wealth, and a ring for a wedding.
What to tell kids about Halloween
In countries where this day is popular, children participate in it with pleasure and probably know everything about it. Should we tell our children about it, because our Orthodox Church opposes this holiday and considers it far from harmless. Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, chairman of the synodal department for interaction between the Church and society of the Moscow Patriarchate, says this about Halloween:
The rituals associated with this day teach people from childhood to pay some kind of tribute to evil, to reconcile with it, even to cooperate - instead of fighting evil and resolutely rejecting it, as the Russian Orthodox Church teaches.
I believe that even if you have a negative attitude towards him and also consider him a stranger, the child can hear about him from his peers and ask you a question. And why don't you yourself tell about the history and traditions of Halloween, as well as tell about your attitude to this day.
I told you what Halloween is, and whether you consider it a holiday or not, the choice is yours.
Elena Kasatova. See you by the fireplace.
Halloween is a bright and cheerful holiday that came to us from America and quickly won the sympathy of many people. Of course, the history of this celebration and its traditions are somewhat alien to us, but the positive emotions associated with it perfectly “dilute” gray everyday life. Original masquerade costumes, house decorations and general fun are the hallmarks of Halloween.
The current Halloween is a modified holiday of the ancient Celts called Samhain. Once upon a time, they inhabited a fairly vast territory of Europe, but they left a particularly significant mark on the lands of present-day Great Britain, Ireland and Northern France. From there, a holiday called Halloween went.
In 2018, Halloween is celebrated on Wednesday, October 31st. Halloween is not an official holiday in Russia and CIS countries. But, despite this, many people celebrate it and support the idea of the holiday and its traditions. For those who do not celebrate this holiday every year, the question may arise, “What date is Halloween in 2018?”. The date of the event in most countries falls on the night of October 31st, but in some areas it may be November 1st or even November 2nd.
Halloween holiday 2018
Although this festival already has a long history, it came to us only at the end of the 20th century. But they began to celebrate it en masse only about 10 years ago, and every year there are more and more participants in the celebration.
As mentioned earlier, All Saints' Eve is celebrated annually at the same time, namely on the night of October 31st to November 1st.
As for our country, Halloween in Russia has not yet had time to "grow" with characteristic traditions similar to those that exist in the USA and Europe. As a rule, it is celebrated at the club level. Many nightclubs in the capital and other cities of our country organize themed costume parties for visitors, in the program of which popular performers and DJs often take part.
Separately, it is worth noting the ambiguous attitude of representatives of the Orthodox clergy to Halloween. And this is not at all surprising, because the Celtic Samhain is nothing more than a cult pagan holiday, the main message of which directly contradicts the traditional gospel postulates. However, many residents of our country perceive this holiday not as a ritual, but as a secular one. For most Russians, Halloween is just another occasion to diversify their leisure time and have fun with friends.
Halloween, celebrated on October 31, is the last day of the Celtic calendar. At first it was considered a pagan holiday in honor of those who left our world. Halloween was called All Saints Day (All Hallows Eve - hence the name Halloween), and the holiday has been around for about 2000 years!
There are many versions of the origin and ancient traditions of Halloween. Different cultures view the holiday in slightly different ways, but Halloween traditions remain the same.
Halloween culture can be traced back to the Druids, Celtic culture in Ireland, Britain and Northern Europe. Roots lie in the celebration of Samhain, at which gifts are presented each year on October 31st in honor of the dead.
Samhain means "end of summer". Samhain is a harvest festival. People lit huge sacred fires, which marks the end of the Celtic year and the beginning of a new one. Many of the practices associated with this holiday are saturated with superstition.
The Celts believed that the souls of the dead roam the streets and villages at night. Since not all spirits were considered friendly, gifts and treats were left to appease evil. This ensured that crops would be plentiful in later years.
It was believed that on this day you can not leave your house. And so that the ghosts would not recognize them, people put on costumes and masks that were made from the skins and heads of dead animals.
Costume parties, Jack-o'-lanterns, sweets are all traditional symbols of Halloween. How is the holiday celebrated in other countries? And what other unusual traditions are there?
Samhain, Ireland and Scotland. Ireland is considered the birthplace of modern Halloween, with its origins stemming from ancient Celtic and pagan rituals. The Irish hold the Samhain Festival every year. In Ireland and Scotland, Halloween is celebrated with bonfires, games, and traditional foods such as Irish fruit pie. A coin or ring is placed in it. The ring means marriage, a quick wedding, and the coin symbolizes wealth in the coming year.
Day of the Dead, Mexico. From November 1 to 2, Mexico and parts of Latin America celebrate the Day of the Dead in honor of those who have passed away. It is believed that the gates of heaven open at midnight on October 31st and the souls of children return to Earth to be reunited with their families within 24 hours.
On November 2, the souls of adults descend from heaven to join the common celebration. Halloween is celebrated at home altars with fruit, peanuts, turkey, soda, hot chocolate, water, tortillas, and a special holiday bread called pan de muerto (bread of the dead), which is left as an offering for weary ghosts. For the souls of dead children, families leave toys and sweets, while adults receive cigarettes and drinks.
Dracula Day. Romania. People from all over the world flock to celebrate Halloween at Vlad the Impaler's at Bran Castle in Transylvania (although it was never actually his castle, and there has been a lengthy discussion about whether he ever visited it). There are a number of tour guides and travel packages in Romania that offer tours and Halloween parties in Count Dracula's castle.
Kawasaki parade, Japan. At the end of every October for the past 21 years, nearly 4,000 costumed Halloween enthusiasts from all over the world gather in Kawasaki, near Tokyo, for the Halloween parade, which is the largest parade of its kind in Japan. However, not everyone can simply join in the celebration. The Kawasaki Halloween Parade has strict rules and standards, so you must apply to enter two months before the start of the parade.
Hungry Ghost Festival, Hong Kong. On the 15th day of the seventh lunar month, from around mid-August to mid-September, the people of Hong Kong celebrate the Hungry Ghost Festival. In some parts of East Asia, people believe that at this time of the year the spirits become restless and begin to roam the world. The festival is a way to "feed" the spirits with food and the money they need for the afterlife.
Halloween 2018 - scary costumes and makeup
Pitru Paksha, India. For 16 days during the second Paksha (the Hindu lunar month of Bhadrapada), many people in India celebrate Pitra Paksha (Halloween's equivalent). In the Hindu religion, it is believed that when a person dies, Yama - the Hindu god of death - takes his or her soul to purgatory, where they will find their last three generations of the family. During Pitru Paksha, souls are briefly allowed to return to Earth and be with their families.
In order to secure a place for one's family in the afterlife, one must perform the Shraddha ritual, which includes the Fire ritual. If Shradda is not fulfilled, the soul will roam the earth forever. During Pitru Paksha, families offer food to the dead such as Khir (sweet rice and milk), Lapsi (sweet porridge), rice, lentils, beans and gourds, which are cooked in silver or copper pots and served on banana leaves.
Ognissanti or Tutti i Santi, Italy. All Saints Day, November 1, is a national holiday in Italy. Better known as Ognissanti, the festivities usually begin a couple of days before people start leaving fresh flowers - usually chrysanthemums - on the graves of departed loved ones as well as on the graveyards of complete strangers, turning the country's cemeteries into a beautiful display of flowers. The Italians also pay tribute to those who have passed away by placing a red candle in the window at sunset. In addition, they prepare a place at the table for those souls they hope will visit them.
The first tradition of the Feast of the Dead is, of course, Jack Lantern. This is an artistic carving of a pumpkin. A round vegetable is given the appearance of a skull. Eyes, frighteningly open mouth with a frightening grin. A candle is placed inside the pumpkin. In addition to the skull, anything can be carved from a pumpkin. It all depends on the imagination of the one who cuts.
The next tradition is, of course, costumes. Mostly frightening outfits are chosen for the holiday. Ghosts, Dracula, vampires, witches, zombies, etc. Different characters from horror films. The choice can simply turn your head! And be sure to put on a special Halloween makeup.
"Trick or Death". On Halloween, children put on costumes and masks, take baskets and go from house to house, “demanding” sweets. This tradition is developed so far only in the United States.
Decoration of the house and the area around the house. Various “horror stories”, garlands of skull bones, figures of monsters, bats, giant spiders and all the same Jack's pumpkin lanterns are used for decoration.
In the homeland of Halloween, this holiday is taken seriously: many people prepare for it for several weeks, thinking through costumes, home decorations and treats for guests in detail. In our country, it is easier to treat it, because for many it remains a curiosity. So, we have not taken root the main tradition of Halloween - to walk in costumes around the neighbors with an ultimatum "sweet or nasty".
However, every year more and more people throw themed parties, trying to make the evening memorable. To celebrate Halloween really brightly, it is important to take care of the main attributes of the holiday.
Halloween costumes can be very different - in this regard, you can be as creative as possible and give free rein to your imagination. The most relevant in recent times is to dress up as heroes of famous films. So, you can appear at the party in the form of Batman, Gandalf, Catwoman, etc.
If you want to stay in trend without attracting too much attention, you can choose an ageless classic - a ghost outfit or a witch with a broom and a pointed black hat. If the main goal is to attract as many looks as possible, then non-standard images, for example, zombies, should be preferred.
Paired costumes always look very impressive: Cinderella and Prince Charming, Fiona and Shrek, Aladdin and Jasmine, Wolf and Little Red Riding Hood.
If you want to organize a bright Halloween party 2018, it is especially important to decorate the house in an original way to create a moderately creepy atmosphere. Pumpkins must be present in Halloween-style decor, but not simple ones, but hollow ones with faces carved into them. It is customary to insert a candle into such a pumpkin and then the vegetable turns into a beautiful and unusual lamp.
As for other jewelry, many interesting options can be found in specialized online stores. For example, rooms can be decorated with artificial webs, of course, with large plastic spiders on it, skeletons, ghosts, zombies, etc.
But it is better to refuse candles, although they look very organic in the “otherworldly” style. It should be borne in mind that almost all the decor used is flammable, so open flames should be avoided so that the party does not end in a fire.
The beauty of this holiday is that it is difficult to overdo it with such decor, because the more Halloween attributes are used, the better.
For a party, it is best to prepare various snacks and light meals. At the same time, treats can be given a sinister look, for example, making drinks look like witches' potions, or carving monsters out of fruits and vegetables. The main thing at the same time is not to “go too far”, because snacks should be appetizing.
In addition, it is important not to forget about sweets for visitors. Of course, it’s not customary for us to “carol” on Halloween, asking for goodies, but tradition is tradition, and with a group of friends, a plate of sweets will definitely not be lost.
Halloween in our country has not yet become established as a familiar holiday and often causes a lot of controversy. Today, there are people who call for its ban, indicating that it will contradict accepted traditions and norms. But in fact, nothing Halloween carries anything bad and is an excellent occasion to have fun with friends. If you want to bring some bright emotions to the autumn weekdays, feel free to celebrate this terribly fun holiday in 2018!
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Celtic holiday halloween or Night before All Saints Day celebrate annually on the night of October 31 to November 1
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The tribes living on the territory of modern Ireland, Scotland and England divided the year into two seasons - winter and summer, and October 31 was the last day of the year.
According to traditions, it was on the night of October 31 to November 1 that evil spirits penetrated the earth.
In order to protect themselves from them, it was customary to dress up in scary costumes.
In the 19th century, many Irish, Scots and English emigrated to the New World.
The holiday migrated along with them and today Halloween is celebrated on the largest scale in the USA and Canada.
New York and Los Angeles became the real capitals of the holiday.
Christian Halloween Traditions
In the first century AD, the Romans conquered the Celtic territories.
During the 400 years that they spent on the lands of the Celts, not only the population, but also traditions mixed up: two Roman holidays were connected with Samhain.
The first is Feralia, celebrated at the end of October, something like the day of remembrance of the dead, and the second is in honor of the goddess of fruits and trees, Pomona. Its symbol was an apple, and hence the modern Halloween tradition of playing with apples.
Christianity supplanted the Druids in Great Britain and became the dominant religion, and in the 7th century, Pope Boniface IV approved November 1 as All Hallows Day, which was supposed to glorify saints and martyrs.
And the night before All Saints' Day became known as All Hallow's Eve. Over time, the name was reduced to Hallowe'en and eventually to Halloween.
Since then, in the celebration of this day, pagan mysticism in an incomprehensible way coexists with Christian.
In the year 1000, the church declared November 2 the Day of All Souls, on which it was supposed to commemorate not the saints, but the simple dead.
The commemoration was arranged in the likeness of Samhain - large bonfires, processions, dressing up in costumes of angels and devils.
Now all three dates are All Saints' Eve (October 31).
By the end of the 19th century, the mystical slant of Halloween was almost done away with, turning it into a public holiday.
Today, from the ancient pagan holiday, there is a set of funny and fascinating traditions.
On this night, it is customary to dress in costumes of evil spirits and arrange masquerades and processions.
Well, you can't miss a rare chance to feel like a witch or a demon!))
Halloween Attributes
Preparations for Halloween begin long before the holiday itself.
People celebrating the holiday decorate their apartments with pumpkins, artificial cobwebs, candles and dry leaves. The traditional colors of the holiday are orange and black.
Halloween paraphernalia on the eve of the holiday can be either made by hand or bought at any supermarket.
On Halloween, people also prepare baked cinnamon apples, pies, sweets and decorate them to match the holiday - paint ghosts, spiders, cobwebs, etc. with icing.
According to tradition, it is customary to distribute sweets to children who go from house to house and say the phrase “Trick or Treat” (Sweet or disgusting).
What is Halloween without a pumpkin lantern?!
You can't do without the main attribute of the holiday on Halloween - the Jack-O-Lantern, which is made from a round pumpkin and put a candle inside.
Where did the Jack O'Lantern come from?
The tradition of carving a scary face out of a pumpkin has been around for centuries. There is a legend about the greedy blacksmith and drunkard Jack, who deceived the devil three times and bargained for himself many years of carefree life, as well as a promise not to claim his soul after death. When the drunkard died, his soul did not go to heaven either.
Jack was forced to wander the earth in anticipation of Judgment Day, lighting his way with a piece of coal, which he put in an empty pumpkin head. Thus, according to the Celtic tradition, the Jack-O-Lantern was considered a lantern that helps souls find their way to purgatory.
Now it is believed that if a pumpkin lantern in the form of an evil face is placed on the threshold of your house, it will drive away evil spirits.
How to make a pumpkin lantern
You will need a beautiful and large pumpkin, a sharp knife with a thin blade, a spoon with a strong handle, a stencil and a felt-tip pen.
And, of course, a candle that we will install in a pumpkin.
- Cut a hole in the top of the pumpkin. It can be round, square, large or small, as you wish.
- Scoop out the seeds and pulp from the pumpkin with a spoon. The seeds can then be dried and roasted - pumpkin seeds can be eaten just like that, or can be used to decorate dishes. The pulp will go to pies, soups, a variety of casseroles and desserts.
- Draw a scary face on the pumpkin. Eyes, nose, mouth, teeth are best made larger, as they will need to be cut out, and the pumpkin usually has a very hard peel, it is not so easy to cut it.
- At the bottom of the pumpkin, make a small recess for the candle so that it fits comfortably and does not fall.
- Place a candle in the pumpkin and light it. Close the pumpkin with a lid.
Important! Be careful, do not forget about fire safety rules, do not place pumpkin lanterns near flammable objects.
To draw a scary face on a pumpkin, use our stencil:
You can come up with it yourself or print the finished drawing of the desired size.
If you are making a pumpkin lantern for the first time, start with a simple pattern and a medium sized pumpkin.
You can cut with an ordinary knife, and special knives for carving, and even with a drill (especially if the pumpkin has thick walls - it’s convenient to make holes with a drill along the entire contour and continue working with a knife).
If you have experience and a large, very large pumpkin is at hand, then you can make it double-sided (Pumpkin-Castle on the back side - Bat).
An interesting effect can be given to the pattern if only the skin and the top layer of pulp are cut off - the light will gently shine through the remaining thin wall.
When the drawing is cut out, you need to put a candle on the bottom and return it to its place.
You can fix it with toothpicks so that the bottom does not fall out.
The smaller the pumpkin, the smaller it is better to take a candle (so that the pumpkin does not smoke at the top).
If the pumpkin is very small, then it is better to make several holes at the top of the handle to let hot air out.
Happy Halloween!
Halloween, a popular holiday these days, has a rich history. The ancient traditions of this day are still honored in many countries today.
Now, when we hear the word "Halloween" we think of creepy fancy dress costumes and pumpkin lanterns. There are many films dedicated to Halloween, and almost all of them are scary to watch without a cheerful company nearby. Every year the scope of this holiday is growing, but the traditions and history of Halloween are still alive, and their echoes are still heard.
History of Halloween: origins and origins
The history of Halloween is rather confusing and shrouded in the darkness of secrets and mysteries. As scientists have found out, the birth of this day was given by the Celts: their Samhain holiday lies at the origins of Halloween. Samhain was a pagan ritual festival that was celebrated as early as the 10th century in what is now the British Isles, namely Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is believed that at this time the Celts took care of the souls of the dead, as the gates between the worlds opened, and the dead could roam the Earth all night.
But it cannot be said that the Celts dedicated Samhain only to evil spirits. For example, the word "Samhain" comes from the Celtic name for November, which means it could be a harvest festival or the end of summer. From that time on, the Celtic calendar began winter.
A number of scientists believe that Samhain received a negative connotation later, when Christianity replaced paganism, and in some places, on the contrary, intertwined with it. The second fate befell Halloween. The monks considered the Celtic celebration an unclean revelry, the rites of scaring away ghosts - demoniacs, and gradually the holiday changed a lot. And since its date coincided with All Saints' Eve, the name Halloween comes from the Scottish abbreviation of the English phrase "All-Hallows-Eve", "All Saints' Eve."
The essence of Halloween
Modern Halloween is a carnival, fun night (or even more than one). Halloween traditions may have changed, but each has its own origin story.
Candies or life. On the evening before Halloween, children demand candy from all the neighbors, dressing up as little ghosts or witches. “Sweet or disgusting”, “prank or sweetness” - the words may be different, but the essence is the same: in a humorous form, children ask adults to give them more sweets, otherwise it will be bad.
Suits. It is believed that the ancient Celts used creepy clothes and masks to scare away evil spirits from their houses. So you can take this method into service: hang a scary mask over the entrance to the house on Halloween night from October 31 to November 1, and not a single poltergeist will stick your head in for sure. The first costumes for Halloween were not at all elegant and festive: they depicted either thin people or very frightening evil spirits. But now the Halloween outfit has evolved. So don't forget to think about your festive costume - dressing up as a zombie is not necessary at all, you can be both a pretty witch and a brave fighter against evil.
Jack O'Lantern pumpkin. An invariable attribute - a pumpkin for Halloween - accompanies All Hallows' Eve. You may be surprised to learn how scary Halloween pumpkins are, and also take a couple of ideas into service. The history of the Halloween pumpkin is almost as exciting as the history of Halloween itself. Initially, faces on vegetables could be carved for ceremonies and rituals. So a smiling apple with a funny face may well decorate the Halloween table. And why are pumpkins called "Jack O'Lantern" and "Jack Lantern"? According to legend, many centuries ago, the cunning rogue Jack deceived the devil himself, and he did not let him into hell, throwing coal after him. And now Jack is wandering, lighting his way with a coal that he put in a pumpkin, and will wander until the Day of Judgment.
Festive table. Of course, any pumpkin dishes will be appropriate. You can bake a pumpkin pie, or you can make pumpkin porridge in the morning. Very often, all kinds of apple desserts are prepared for Halloween, for example, jams or caramelized apples. You can simply decorate the table in the theme of ghosts or witches.
Have fun from the heart, arranging your home Halloween: laughter and joy decrease negative energy. We wish you a happy Halloween, and don't forget to press the buttons and
26.10.2016 13:22
The main attribute of the Halloween decorations is, of course, the pumpkin. And to make it look good...
