We all know Halloween as the last day in October every year, when we get to dress up in our favorite costumes, walk around neighborhoods and get boatloads of candy for free. But not many people know the origins of Halloween and why we actually celebrate it.
Halloween originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, in Ireland. People would have bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts.
The Celts believed that on the night of Halloween, the boundary between our world and the underworld became blurred. On this day the ghosts and demons of the underworld would rome free on Earth searching for humans to prey on.
It was believed that the only way for a human to hide was to dress up and disguise themselves among these creatures. But over time, Halloween evolved into a day of activities like trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, festive gatherings, donning costumes and eating sweet treats.
Today in America, there is hardly a focus on the superstitious and religious side of Halloween and most children and adults celebrate for the free candy and the festivities that come along with this frightful October night.
As the warm days turn to chilly nights we know that Halloween is right around the corner, and now that you know the chilling history behind Halloween, be sure you ‘creep’ it real with your Halloween pranks and be wary of ‘witch’ costumes you choose.