Halloween Origins and Traditions Origins Halloween began two thousand years ago in Ireland, England, and Northern

n France with the ancient religion of the Celts (Paganism ! They celebrated their New Year on November 1st. This day mar"ed the beginning of the dar", cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death! Samhain (sow-in) On the night of October #$, they celebrated Samhain, when it was belie%ed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth! Costumes Peo&le thought that they would encounter ghosts if they left their homes' (o they wore costumes! This way, the ghosts couldn)t recogni*e them+ The Christian In luence ,s the influence of Christianity s&read into Celtic lands, in the -th century, Po&e .oniface I/ introduced All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs, to re&lace the Pagan festi%al of Samhain! It was obser%ed on 0ay $#th! ! change o date In 1#2, Po&e 3regory III mo%ed All Saint's Day from 0ay $#th to No%! $st! Oct! #$st thus became All Hallows' Eve (4hallow4 means 4saint4 ! !ll Souls "ay No%ember 5nd, called All Souls Day, is the day set a&art in the 6oman Catholic Church for the commemoration of the dead! Tric"7or7treating began with the &oor in the $8th century' 9uring the All Souls Day festi%al in England, &oor &eo&le would beg for :soul ca"es,; made out of s<uare &ieces of bread with currants Families would gi%e soul ca"es in return for a &romise to &ray for the family)s relati%es then children' The &ractice, which was referred to as =going a7souling= was e%entually ta"en u& by children who would %isit the houses in their neighborhood and be gi%en ale, food, and money! Today> Children still go from house7to7house, but instead of ale, food, and money, they get candy! #ith Irish Immigration$ In $121, millions of Irish emigrants &oured into ,merica as a result of the &otato famine! They brought with them their traditions of Halloween! Halloween came to !merica. They called Halloween Oidche Shamhna (?Night of (amhain4 , as their ancestors had, and "e&t the traditional obser%ances!

The %ac&'O'(antern The Irish used to carry turni&s with candles in them to light their way at night and to scare away ghosts!! #hen they arrived in !merica they ound that )um)&ins were both )lenti ul and easier to carve than turni)s. Now, @ac"7O7Aanterns are used for decorating &eo&le)s homes! Peo&le ha%e recently started car%ing less traditional @ac"7O7Aanterns Today )eo)le go to )arties$ Ta&e their &ids tric&'or'treating.$ !nd eat lots o candy* I you don+t give candy to a tric&'or'treater$ This could ha))en to you* ,ibliogra)hy The -nd