The Origin of Halloween
The Celtic festival known as Samhain is believed to be the predecessor of modern Halloween. Samhain marked the end of the Celtic harvest season. It was also the start of the Celtic New Year. The date for the New Year was October 31. On this day, the Celts believed that the lines separating the living and the dead dissipated.
During this time, evil spirits were said to roam the Earth. To combat these forces, the Celts would don masks. This aspect in the history of Halloween helps explain the tradition of watching scary costumes during the festival.
Where the Name Came From
Halloween got its name from Hallowe’en. This in turn was derived from All Hallow’s Eve. During the 9th century, the church changed the date of All Saint’s Day or All Hallows’ Day from May 13 to November 1. November 2 was then declared as the day of the dead.
For this reason, October 31 became known as All Hallows’ Eve. Despite the move of the church, the festival remained very popular among the people.
