Of ghoulies, ghosties and Halloween

With Halloween almost upon us, The Nation has compiled a list of Halloween greetings for your friends and loved ones. But first, here’s a little history of the origins of Halloween.

Halloween or Hallowe'en is a celebration observed in many countries on October 31, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints. It begins the observance of Allhallowtide, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed.

One theory holds that many Halloween traditions were influenced by Celtic harvest festivals, particularly the Gaelic festival Samhain, which are believed to have pagan roots. Some go further and suggest that Samhain may have been Christianised as All Hallow's Day, along with its eve, by the early Church. During this pagan religious celebration, people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts to welcome the harvest at the end of summer.

As for origins of trick-or-treating, one theory suggests that during Samhain, Celtic people would leave food out to appease the spirits travelling the Earth at night. Over time, people began to dress as these unearthly beings in exchange for similar offerings of food and drink.

Of ghoulies, ghosties and Halloween