The history of Halloween

Halloween has ancient roots that trace back over 2,000 years to the Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced "sow-in"), which was celebrated on October 31. The Celts, who lived in what is now Ireland, the UK, and northern France, saw Samhain as the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter—a time they associated with death. On this night, they believed that the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead was blurred, and that ghosts of the dead returned to earth. To ward off these spirits, Celts would light large bonfires and wear costumes to scare them away.

When Christianity spread to Celtic regions, the church attempted to replace or assimilate Samhain with its own holidays. By the 9th century, the church designated November 1 as All Saints' Day (also known as All Hallows' Day) to honor saints and martyrs. The evening before became known as All Hallows' Eve, which eventually evolved into Halloween.

As immigrants from Celtic regions, particularly Irish and Scottish, came to the United States in the 19th century, they brought Halloween customs with them. Over time, Halloween became popularized in American culture and evolved into a more secular holiday focused on community activities like trick-or-treating, costume parties, and games. Today, Halloween combines these ancient customs with modern traditions, making it one of the most widely celebrated holidays worldwide.