eHow launches Android app: Get the best of eHow on the go.
Kids look forward to getting dressed up and trick-or-treating all year long. Whether it's the thrill of wearing a costume or getting all the candy, it's one of the most celebrated holiday traditions in America. But how did it all begin? Here's a look at the history of trick-or-treating. more »
Halloween is the shortened term for "All Hallow's Eve." All Hallow's Day was considered November 1. For ancient Celts, this was the start of the new year and the bringing on of winter. On the night before--All Hallow's Eve--the spirits of the dead were said to walk once more among the living. In order to keep off the evil spirits,... more »
In Italy, All Saints Day is known as Tutti i Santi Ognissnati. The Catholic holiday, commemorating the Saint Martyrs, is celebrated on November 1. The next day, All Souls Day, is set aside to honor loved ones who are deceased. Italians celebrate the two holidays together, both in association with the fall harvest which is reflected in... more »
All Saints Day in Lithuania is a solemn holiday. November 1 is set aside as a day to recognize the souls of the dead as well as remembering the Saints of the Catholic Church. In Lithuania, All Saints Day is sometimes referred to as Velines, in honor of the pagan holiday during which those who didn't belong to the Catholic Church would... more »
Lack of alternatives to the traditional haunted house can be as scary as Halloween itself. With a little imagination, you can be the force that starts a new Halloween tradition. You could also be the first of your crew to latch onto an out-of-the-box event. Find something else to do besides going trick or treating. Ditch the... more »
Halloween (also spelled Halloween) is an annual holiday celebrated on October 31. It has roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain and the Christian holy day of All Saints, but is today largely a secular celebration.
Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, wearing costumes and attending costume parties, carving jack-o-lanterns, ghost tours, bonfires, visiting haunted attractions, pranks, telling scary stories, and watching horror films.
History
Historian Nicholas Rogers, exploring the origins of Halloween, notes that while "some folklorists have detected its origins in the Roman feast of Pomona, the goddess of fruits and seeds, or in the festival of the dead called Parentalia, more typically linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain or Samuin (pronounced sow-an or sow-in)"."rogers_s">Rogers, Nicholas (2002). "Samhain and the Celtic Origins of Halloween". Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night, pp.11–21. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-516896-8. The name is derived from Old Irish and means roughly "summers end"."rogers_s"/> A similar festival was held by the ancient Britons and is known as Calan Gaeaf (pronounced Kálan Gái av).
The festival of Samhain celebrates the end of the "lighter half" of the year and beginning of the "darker half", and is sometimes"stations">Hutton, Ronald (1996). Stations of the Sun: A History of the Ritual Year in Britain. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-288045-4 regarded as the "Celtic New Year"."danaher">Danaher, Kevin (1972). The Year in Ireland: Irish Calendar Customs, pp.190–232. Dublin: Mercier Press. ISBN 1-85635-093-2
The ancient Celts believed that the border between this world and the Otherworld became thin on Samhain, allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. The familys ancestors were honoured and invited home whilst harmful spirits were warded off. It is believed that the need to ward off harmful spirits led to the wearing of costumes and masks read more at » http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween
Connect with people who share your interest by joining one of our Groups:
How to Put Spin on a Golf Ball
How to obtain solar panels for free
Chemical Peels for Hyperpigmentation
How to Get Fired Gracefully
How to Stop a Shopaholic
How to Drive Defensively During the Holidays
Wonders of the World
Copyright © 1999-2009 eHow, Inc. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the eHow Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. en-US Portions of this page are modifications based on work created and shared by Google and used according to terms described in the Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License.
