Halloween!! (Boo!

)
Halloween has origins with Celtic, Pagan, and Christian traditions. The Pagan and
Celtic people call it Samhain (pronounced Sow-en) and it is their New Years Eve. On October
31
st
people thought the spirits could return from the dead and destroy the crops they had saved
for the winter. In Ireland, poor children would go door to door and beg for food, promising to
pray for their benefactors dead relatives. This is how trick or treating began. In Christian
history people honored the saints between October 31
st
and November 2
nd
and prayed for those
who had recently died, but not yet reached Heaven. In some traditions, people thought carving
scary faces into pumpkins would frighten away evil spirits. They liked to dress in costumes so
the evil spirits wouldnt recognize them. People also thought the costumes might allow them to
communicate with the dead. It is a common misconception that Halloween is a day to worship
the devil, but it is actually celebrated to ward off evil!



Halloween!! (Boo!)
Halloween has origins with Celtic, Pagan, and Christian traditions. The Pagan and
Celtic people call it Samhain (pronounced Sow-en) and it is their New Years Eve. On October
31
st
people thought the spirits could return from the dead and destroy the crops they had saved
for the winter. In Ireland, poor children would go door to door and beg for food, promising to
pray for their benefactors dead relatives. This is how trick or treating began. In Christian
history people honored the saints between October 31
st
and November 2
nd
and prayed for those
who had recently died, but not yet reached Heaven. In some traditions, people thought carving
scary faces into pumpkins would frighten away evil spirits. They liked to dress in costumes so
the evil spirits wouldnt recognize them. People also thought the costumes might allow them to
communicate with the dead. It is a common misconception that Halloween is a day to worship
the devil, but it is actually celebrated to ward off evil!