Are you fascinated by the world of witches, vampires, ghosts and zombies? If the answer is yes, then Halloween is the perfect holiday for you! But how much do you know about this frighteningly fun occasion, that's loved by adults and children all over the world?
Halloween originated in the country of Ireland- in particular, in the Celtic denomination. Now, Halloween is a secular tradition. The name is likely a contracted form of "All Hallows' Eve," in which Hallow, in Old English, means "Holy". So the meaning of Halloween would be "Eve of All Saints", and would be linked to the Christian feast of All Saints' Day, which is celebrated on November 1st. In Ireland, this night coincided with the end of the season; the colour orange was used to commemorate the end of the harvest, and black to symbolize the imminent arrival of dark winter. It’s for this reason that the colours of Halloween are black and orange.
A legend tells of wandering spirits of the dead coming back on the night of October 31st in search of a new body to possess for the new year. To protect themselves from possession, people began to invent all kinds of ploys to keep evil spirits away from their home. There are three main traditions linked to Halloween:
This tradition has ancient origins: it is said that on November 1st, the first Christian pilgrims wandered from village to village asking for a bit 'of "soul food," a cake made with raisins. In return, they promised prayers for the dead relatives of the donors. Another theory is that "trick or treat" comes from the Irish custom to leave some sweets and milk outside the door, so the passing spirits could feed themselves instead of disturbing the inhabitants of the house. Nowadays, children all over the world, dressed in costumes, wander through the streets of the city asking for sweets to eat. If they don’t like what they receive, they might decide to play a "trick"!
The custom of leaving carved pumpkins lit with small candles comes from a legend. Many years ago in Ireland, there lived an old drunkard, a stingy but very smart locksmith, called Jack. It was Halloween night when the old man, sitting in a pub in front of a glass of beer, met the Devil, who had come to claim his soul. Jack tricked him by saying that he would give the Devil his soul in return for one last drink. While the Devil looked in his purse for a coin to pay the bartender, Jack was able to quickly slip a silver cross into the bag, rendering the Devil unable to return to his original form. Jack told the devil that he would be set free, if he promised to not return for Jack's soul for at least another 10 years. The Devil agreed. Ten years later, Jack escaped the Devil a second time, so the Devil gave up and decided not to come back and disturb Jack anymore. When Jack died, he was not admitted to Heaven because of his lifestyle, and Hell refused him also. Satan sent him back, throwing a burning firebrand after him. Jack used this to light his way in the dark, protecting it from the wind by placing it inside a hollow turnip. It is said that since that day, Jack wanders with his luminary waiting for Judgement Day, a symbol for all damned souls.
The ancient Celts made their costumes by hand with animal parts, such as hides or even heads. This enabled them to to deceive the spirits, wandering among them without danger. Today this tradition is no longer linked to the past, but it remains a joyous and entertaining tradition for both children and adults.
In the United States, Halloween is a holiday that's deeply loved by American citizens. Offices, shops and houses are decorated, often with a horror theme. Even the streets are decorated, as the children will be out and about on Halloween evening for trick-or-treating. Young people organize numerous parties. An unmissable stop in the United States for Halloween is the town of Sleepy Hollow with its famous cemetery. "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," written by Washington Irving, is one of the most famous US ghost stories and has multiple film adaptations. The most amazing thing is that in this small village, not far from New York, people continue to see the terrible "Headless Horseman."
European traditions are similar to American ones, but the event is not as important for children and young people. An alternative way to celebrate Halloween with friends is to celebrate with "Murder by Death." It's a simple role-playing game, where the goal is to find out the identity of the mysterious murderer. Fun is guaranteed! A recommended Halloween trip in Europe is Dracula's Castles in Romania, a place where legend mixes with reality. Multiple castles are said to be the inspiration for the famous vampire's lair (among them Bran, Hunyadi and Poenari castles), so why not visit them all, and decide for yourself which castle is the spookiest?
In Mexico, it’s a tradition to celebrate "Dia de los Muertos" on November 2nd. The festivities are one big party, and for the Mexicans it has mostly a cathartic value: they laugh, parade, dance, drink and eat all together to avoid the fear of death. Following ancient Mayan and Aztec traditions and legends, each person goes disguised to local cemeteries to visit the graves of relatives and friends. Every street is decorated with flowers, skulls and skeletons. Celebrations take place all over Mexico, but the most important party is in Xócalo, the main square of Oaxaca, where Mexicans celebrate life and death until sunrise with food, tequila, music and fun.