The Origins of Halloween

On this 'All Saint's Day' as the Catholic Church has dubbed November 1,09 (a day to celebrate all the Saint's that do not have a specific day of their own), I have thought that it is time to remember how All Hallow's Eve, or Halloween began, and why we celebrate the way we do.

While the United States and Canada use Halloween as a commercial excuse to spend money and make people dress in 'sexy' costumes, places like Ireland still celebrate Halloween in the true spirit of the day. Ireland is still considered the birthplace of Halloween, and it is still celebrated in the true feeling of the day. Instead of running around in skimpy costumes and asking everyone for candy, the Irish still light bonfires all throughout the countrysides, and celebrate the end of Summer and the beginning of Winter.

Halloween is typically linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain which is derived from old Irish to roughly mean "Summer's End". The Celts believed that the border between this world and the 'otherworld' became thin on Samhain which allowed both harmless and harmful spirits to pass through to the other side. Costumes and masks were worn to allow family spirits enter one's home, while warding off the harmful spirits.

Halloween is derived from All Hallows Even or e'en, which has evolved from old english. In the 800's when this was being celebrated and the tradition began, the Church measured the day as starting at Sunset, so in the past, All Hallows' Even and All Saint's Day were celebrated as one, not as two different and distinct days.

In traditional Celtic Halloween festivals, large turnips were hollowed out, carved with faces and placed in windows to ward off evil spirits. The carving of pumpkins began in North America was associated with harvest time for years, before it was finally associated with Halloween until the mid to late 1800's.

Keep reading and you will find out the main places to go to visit the best places to celebrate Halloween, All Hallows' Even and All Saint's Day.