Halloween originated from an ancient Celtic festival. The origins of Halloween date back 2,000 years to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which was celebrated on October 31 on the eve of their new year, according to the History Channel. The Celts believed that the dead returned to earth that night, and so they lit bonfires and donned costumes to ward off the ghosts.
Jack-o-lanterns were inspired by an Irish legend. According to the History Channel, the name jack-o’-lantern is rooted in an Irish folktale about a man named Stingy Jack who fooled the devil and in turn was forced to walk the Earth with only a burning coal in a hollowed turnip to light his way. The Irish began to call him “Jack of the Lantern,” and then just “Jack o’Lantern.”
Trick-or-treating has existed since medieval times. Trick-or-treating was inspired by the medieval English tradition of “souling,” which involved children going door-to-door on All Souls Day, offering prayers for residents’ deceased loved ones in exchange for food.
Candy wasn’t given out to trick-or-treaters until the 1950s. Halloween simply wouldn’t be the same without those fun (and king!) size candy bars to sweeten the day. But there was a time when trick-or-treaters didn’t receive candy at all, but rather pieces of cake, fruit, nuts, coins, and little toys, according to the History Channel. It wasn’t until the 1950s, when candy makers began to promote their goods for Halloween, that candy became a staple on the trick-or-treating circuit. These days, one quarter of all the candy sold in the U.S. each year is purchased for Halloween.
The fear of Halloween is called Samhainophobia. Many people enjoy embracing the spooky spirit of Halloween, but for some, the fear is not all in good fun. Some people suffer from Samhainophobia, or the fear of Halloween, according to Newsweek. Now that you’ve learned about the origins of Halloween, you can probably guess that the word comes from Samhain, the Gaelic festival that inspired Halloween.
Everyone still loves a good spooky Halloween costume. Halloween looks can be silly, funny, or cute, but according to the National Retail Federation, scary costumes still reign supreme. In 2020, the top Halloween costumes for adults were: 1. Witch 2. Vampire 3. Cat 4. Batman 5. Ghost