We all know and love Halloween, the holiday that comes once a year every October 31st. It is a day filled with spooky festivities, trick or treating, and great costumes! But have you ever wondered how that holiday actually started?
Halloween is thought to have its origins in Autumn festivals of the past, such as the ancient Druids’ three day festival in early November. They lit bonfires to ward off the spirits of the dead that were said to be roaming around on the last night of October.
In Roman times, it was known as the festival of Pomona. It was a time of harvest, and similar to the Druids, they built bonfires to roast fruit. It supposedly became a Christian holiday, the night before All Hallows Day, where all of the Christian saints were celebrated.
In most of Europe and North America, it is now a non-religious holiday, celebrated by everybody! The spooky traditions of Halloween are also deeply rooted in the holiday’s history. Even in the ancient festivals people believed that ghosts and witches were among them. Another classic Halloween tradition is carving faces into pumpkins. In old times, in the British Isles, people carved faces into turnips and other vegetables too! If you want to learn even more about Halloween, here are the links to some articles and websites I found, along with some fun crafts and baking ideas.
Recipes:
Click here for even more fun Halloween ideas. Happy Halloween!
Comments