Halloween is a modern holiday celebrated on October 31, the day before All Saints Day. The word "halloween" was first mentioned in the 16th century. And the holiday itself came from the ancient Celts. On this day, they saw off the light and warm season, after which came the time of cold and darkness.
History of origin
The story began in Northern Ireland and Great Britain, where the ancient Celts lived. An Irish legend tells of an old farmer, Jack, who loved spirits and gambling. He communicated with the devil and deceived him twice. After his death, Jack because of a vicious life did not go to heaven. Also, the door to hell was closed to him, as the devil vowed not to take Jack's soul. So the farmer was doomed to wander the world. It had a pumpkin head with a smoldering ember inside.
The ancient Celtic tribes on October 31 saw off the summer time and met the winter season. Borderline time was considered mystical and magical for them. The living could visit the other world, and the dead came to the human world. It was also believed that the souls of the dead returned to their homes on this day. Living relatives prepared sacrificial food for them. Celts, to scare away ghosts, put on scary costumes and lit torches.
In the 7th century, Pope Boniface established All Saints Day, celebrated on November 1. This was done in order to eliminate pagan customs and beliefs. However, Christian and Celtic customs were mixed and the holiday became religious in nature. Only in the 19th century did Halloween become a secular holiday, eventually losing its religious significance.
How is Halloween celebrated
The main attribute of the holiday is Jack's lamp. It is a pumpkin with a grinning, malevolent face carved on it. A candle is placed inside the pumpkin. It is believed that such a symbol drives away evil spirits from the house. The house and apartment are decorated with village scarecrows. People dress up as characters from horror movies. The costumes of the Mummy and Frankenstein are popular. The traditional colors of Halloween are orange and black. The main themes are monsters, evil, death and the occult.
The first wearing of suits was recorded in 1895 in Scotland. Then the children in masks went from house to house, where they were given money, sweets and cakes. Fancy dress has evolved significantly over the past century. In 2000, witches, vampires, werewolves, fairies, pop culture figures and queens could be found among the celebrants.
Nowadays Halloween is celebrated not only in English-speaking countries, it is also popular in European countries, China, Japan, Indonesia. He appeared in Russia recently, but has already acquired his fans and his traditions. Young people, dressing in horrific costumes, have fun and noisy celebrations in nightclubs and discos. Many entertainment venues are preparing various Halloween parties for their visitors on October 31st.
