Halloween is coming up soon, and not everyone knows about its origins and where it originated from. It first started almost 2,000 years ago, when it was then a Celtic festival of Samhain, and it established the new year. Samhain was marked as the end of summer and a new beginning of a dark, cold winter. They believed that it marked the day when the division between the living and the dead was blurred. They believed that Samhain was the night when ghosts of the dead returned and came back to Earth.
To celebrate, they participated in different traditions. They built bonfires, sacrificed animals, and even wore the heads of the animals they sacrificed. By A.D. 43, the Roman empire had taken over the Celtic lands, and as they ruled they combined festivals and traditions with the Celtics. Along with Samhain, the combination of events added aspects like commemorating the dead and honoring fruits and trees.
By the 9th Century, Christianity had come into the Celtic land. All Souls’ Day, created by the Catholic church, was a similar celebration to Samhain. It contained parades, costumes, and big bonfires as well. It then transitioned to being called All Hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween.
With your history lesson complete, join Sophomore Staff Writer Cassidy Forte as she highlights all the possible fun activities to partake in to get your groove on for a spooky Halloween! Here are some fun activities for you to do in order to celebrate:
