The Haunting History of Halloween
As a company that publishes children’s mysteries, it’s only fitting that Halloween is our favorite holiday — in fact, we’re celebrating our 45th anniversary on October 31, 2024! In honor of our birthday and this holiday, we’re taking a deep dive into Halloween’s spooky origins.
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Samhain: Halloween’s Pagan Predecessor
Roughly 2,000 years before kids dressed up in Halloween costumes to go trick-or-treating, ancient Celts disguised themselves in costumes during a religious celebration known as Samhain to confuse evil spirits believed to have returned to the land of the living.[1] This ceremony began on the eve of the Celtic New Year (October 31), which fell between the fall equinox and winter solstice[2] and lasted for about three days as a way to transition from the harvest season to winter.[3]
The festivities were much darker than modern-day Halloween customs, which included divination and animal and crop sacrifices in a large bonfire.[3] At the start of Samhain, Celts extinguished the fires in their hearths at home. When the celebration ended, they lit torches from the massive bonfire and carried the fire back to their homes to relight their hearths. This was symbolic of their belief that the hallowed fire from the Samhain bonfire would serve as protection during the cold, dark winter.[3]
After the Romans conquered the Celts, Samhain traditions were combined with Roman traditions and deities during the 400 years of the Roman Empire’s rule.[3] Every October, Romans celebrated a festival called Feralia as a way of memorializing their dead. They integrated Samhain into Feralia and combined it with another festival that honored Pomona, the goddess of fruits and trees.[4] These celebrations continued until the Roman Empire fell and Christianity and the influence of the Catholic Church spread throughout Celtic territories.
All Saints’ Day & All Souls’ Day: Catholicism’s Influence on Halloween
Christianity was introduced in Ireland during the fifth century A.D., but many pagan holidays were still being celebrated by Celts. It’s believed by historians that these Celtic traditions were absorbed into Catholic holidays to make the conversion to Christianity easier for Celts.[2] All Martyrs’ Day, a Catholic celebration of Christians who died for their faith, was established in 609 A.D., but it was later changed to All Saints’ Day and was moved from May 13 to November 1 [3] in an effort to appeal to Celts still practicing Samhain.[2]
Another holiday was then added to the calendar: All Souls’ Day, which fell on November 2.[2] All Souls’ Day honored the dead, and celebrants carried over the traditions from Samhain, including lighting bonfires and wearing costumes. All-hallows, or All-hallowmas, became synonymous with All Saints’ Day because it was a “hallowed” (holy) day. Thus, October 31 was called All-Hallows Eve, which was shortened to Halloween.[3]
Boo! Halloween Arrives in America: Colonial Period – 19th Century
As colonists arrived in the New World, they brought traditions from the Old World with them, but not everyone embraced these practices and holidays. New England colonists didn’t celebrate Halloween due to their Protestant beliefs since All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day were Catholic holidays.[3] In contrast, Southern colonists and Maryland residents, many of whom were Catholic, celebrated Halloween with fortune-telling, ghost stories, dancing, and singing.[4]
In the late 1800s, the focus of Halloween shifted away from the supernatural to community-centered affairs known as “play parties” with food and games.[3] Play parties were celebrated during the autumn as a way for families to gather in their communities to make and share food, sing, play music, and dance. Ghost stories were told, but that was about the extent of anything remotely related to Halloween. Unlike All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, play parties had no religious association.[5]
Play parties gave way to the resurgence of Halloween as Irish Catholic immigrants moved to the U.S. in the mid-to-late 19th century.[4] The devastation, starvation, and poverty created by famines in Ireland forced over a million people to leave their homeland in the hope of a better life in America. They brought their traditions and holidays to their new home, including Halloween, which grew popular throughout the U.S.
One of the Halloween traditions that was brought to America from Ireland was pranking. In Ireland, boys' favorite pranks involved turnips, which they carved menacing faces into. Cabbages were also popular among pranksters in Ireland, who would tie strings to them and pull them through fields to spook those walking by.[6] Over in Scotland, pranksters wore disguises, earning the nickname “guisers.”[7]
In rural America, pranksters continued these traditions by removing gates so livestock could escape, putting livestock on barn roofs, and pushing outhouses over. Pranks weren’t limited to the countryside; in cities, fires were set, glass was broken, and people were tripped and splattered with flour.[6] Pranking grew more destructive as Halloween became more popular in the 20th century.
Halloween in Modern Times: 20th Century – Today
Arson and vandalism on Halloween increased in the U.S. during the 1900s, particularly during the Great Depression. In the 1930s, some cities were even contemplating banning the holiday in an effort to stop the pranking, but they soon realized that would only fan the flames. Instead, kid-friendly parties, parades, and carnivals were hosted by communities and churches to provide an alternative way for young people to spend Halloween.
These new traditions were a success, and over the next two decades, Halloween became less about pranking and more about having good, clean fun with friends and family. Costume parades, parties, and trick-or-treating were popular ways to celebrate the holiday in the 1920s-1950s.[6]
Fun Facts about the Origins of Halloween Traditions
Just about every Halloween custom can be traced back to Samhain, All Saints’ Day, and All Souls’ Day. Take a look below at some of the hair-raising origins of these traditions…if you dare!
1. The Phrase “Trick-or-Treating” Dates Back to 1927
Before the days of ringing your neighbors’ doorbell to ask for fun-size candy (or full-size candy bars if you were lucky), ancient trick-or-treating looked very different. During Samhain, Celts put food out for wandering spirits. This changed with the introduction of All Souls’ Day, when poor people would dress up in costumes, typically as saints, and go from house to house asking for food, known as soul cakes.[5] In exchange for soul cakes, they would promise to pray for the giver’s deceased family.[4] This tradition became known as “going a-souling” and was supported by the Catholic Church because it substituted the pagan Samhain practice with a Christian tradition.[3]
A similar custom emerged in the 18th century and lasted through the 19th century in Canada and eastern states in the U.S. Known as belsnickling, this Christmas tradition involved people wearing costumes and going door-to-door asking for treats. Pranks were pulled by belsnicklers in the 19th century, and they were offered treats in exchange for not performing these tricks, earning the phrase “trick-or-treat.” This phrase was first used in 1927 in an Alberta, Canada, newspaper.[9]
By the 1950s, trick-or-treating was a widespread way to celebrate Halloween among kids, but thankfully, pranking no longer was popular. The popularity of trick-or-treating was due in part to the end of sugar rationing following the conclusion of World War II and the rise of neighborhoods in the suburbs.[9] Trick-or-treating continues to be a popular Halloween tradition today, with Americans spending over $3 billion annually on Halloween candy.[8]
2. Samhain Costumes Were Made From Animal Pelts
Today, kids and adults alike dress up as pop culture references (count the number of Australian Olympian “Raygun” costumes you see this year), characters from their favorite shows and movies, and monsters for fun. But in ancient Celtic times, it was less about fun and more about survival. Since Celts believed that souls wandered the earth during Samhain, they wore costumes of carved masks and animal skins to disguise and protect themselves from evil spirits (or that pesky former neighbor who still held a grudge against you from beyond the grave). This tradition morphed centuries later into costumes of saints for All Souls’ Day, which people wore when they were “going a-souling.”[3]
In the early 20th century, costumes were downright creepy. (Just Google vintage costumes from that era, but be prepared — those outfits are nightmare fuel. You’ve been warned.) Spooky witches and monsters were popular choices for these homemade costumes, which were worn by adults to masquerades.[3] Things found in nature, such as tree branches, corn stalks, veggies, and leaves, were used as accessories. Moons and stars were also incorporated into the design of costumes because of their association with mysticism and magic.[10]
Halloween in the mid-20th century was more geared toward children to keep them out of trouble, and costume parties were popular.[10] Kids wore homemade costumes and masks of spooky characters (like witches and mummies), pirates, and clowns. By the 1950s, store-bought costumes were mass-produced, making them much more affordable options, with characters from movies being the popular choice for kids.[3]
3. Jack-o-Lanterns Were Originally Carved Turnips
Celebrants of Samhain used their sacred bonfire to scare off evil spirits from the Otherworld. During the Middle Ages, the fire was downsized to fit inside of turnips and gourds, which were pierced to let out the light within. People carried these lanterns with them to keep themselves safe from lost souls on All Hallows Eve.[11]
Over time, menacing faces were carved into the vegetables.[11] This tradition was brought over to America by Irish immigrants. Since turnips weren’t as common in the U.S., readily available pumpkins were used instead.[5]
The name “Jck-o-Lantern” comes from an Irish folktale about a man named Jack who had a drink with the Devil and then tricked him into becoming a coin so that he could pay for their drinks. Jack prevented the Devil from turning back into his former self by keeping a silver cross next to the coin. He finally released the Devil but made him promise to not take his soul before ten years were up. Jack died before the end of the ten years, and because of the Devil’s promise, he wasn’t taken to Hell. He also wasn’t allowed into Heaven by God and was cursed to walk the earth. He was given a burning coal, which he placed inside a carved turnip to use as a lantern. His nickname became “Jack of the Lantern,” which was shortened to “Jack O’Lantern.”[4]
Spooky Resources for a Halloween Classroom Party
Now that you know Halloween’s history, it’s time to throw a classroom party! An activity you can incorporate is watching these 20th-century silent films from the Library of Congress. The 1900 video Uncle Josh in a spooky hotel is a good example of early slapstick comedy. Another one is Hooligan assists the magician, where a magic show goes awry when supernatural spirits start popping up. After watching these videos, ask your students to list the differences and commonalities between today’s horror flicks and these silent films.
For more ideas, check out our “Halloween Party Ideas for Teachers” blog, and explore our spooky mystery books. We hope you and your students have a safe and happy Halloween!
Sources
[1] The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Halloween.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 September 2023, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Halloween. Accessed 26 September 2023.
[2] Smith, Hillary. “Samhain.” World History Encyclopedia, 28 September 2020, https://www.worldhistory.org/Samhain/. Accessed 19 September 2024.
[3] “Halloween: 2024.” HISTORY, 18 November 2009, https://www.history.com/topics/halloween/history-of-halloween. Accessed 26 September 2024.
[4] Lesch, Nathan. “Halloween's 2000-year-old history.” The Case Western
Reserve Observer, 1 November 2019,
https://observer.case.edu/halloweens-2000-year-old-history/. Accessed 20 September 2024.
[5] Feldman, Ellen. “The History of Halloween.” American Heritage, vol. 52, no. 7, 2001. The
History of Halloween, https://www.americanheritage.com/history-halloween. Accessed
26 September 2024.
[6] Klein, Christopher. “Halloween Was Once So Dangerous That Some Cities Considered
Banning It.” HISTORY, 27 October 2020,
https://www.history.com/news/halloween-was-once-so-dangerous-that-some-cities-considered-banning-it. Accessed 26 September 2023.
[7] Kiger, Patrick J. “How the Early Catholic Church Christianized Halloween.” HISTORY, 27
October 2020, https://www.history.com/news/halloween-samhain-celts-catholic-church. Accessed 30 September 2024.
[8] Lake, Rebecca. “How Much Americans Spend on Halloween.” Investopedia, 10 November
2023,https://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/1012/how-much-americans-spend-on-halloween.aspx#:~:text=Almost%2070%25%20of%20consumers%20in,%243.6%20billion%20for%20candy. Accessed 30 September 2024.
[9] Martin, Emily. “The history of trick-or-treating, and how it became a Halloween tradition.”
National Geographic, 24 October 2022, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/the-history-of-trick-or-treating-and-how-it-became-a-halloween-tradition#:~:text=Is%20chocolate%20actually%20good%20for,trick%20or%20treat%E2%80%9D%20at%20houses. Accessed 1 October 2024.
[10] “Halloween Costume Pictures: Spooky Styles a Century Ago.” National Geograhic, 2
October 2018, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/101029-halloween-costumes-decorations-century-witches-ghosts-pictures. Accessed 1 October 2024.
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