10/25/99

Where Did Halloween Come From?

Q: Why do we go trick-or-treating, tell ghost stories and dress in scary costumes for Halloween?

A: The hobgoblins of Halloween night date back hundreds of years before the birth of Christ. Between 1000 and 100 BC, the Celtic people celebrated the New Year with a Druid festival, Samhain, on Nov. 1. The Druids believed that the dead would play tricks on mankind and cause panic and destruction. They had to be appeased, so country folk would give them food as they visited their homes.

This was a scary night for the Celts. On that night they would leave their homes and gather together in a field. Once at the field they would build a huge bonfire to scare away all the evil spirits and any ghosts, goblins or other demons that might be roaming around in the night. The Celts wore costumes made of dead animal skins, so the ghosts would not think they were mortal. Fine food and drink were also left out overnight to appease the ghosts.

Eventually Christianity replaced the Celt religion. Around 800 AD the Christian church declared Nov. 1 as All Saints' Day, to honor all the Saints who did not have a special day of their own. On this occasion people adopted old customs from Samhain and Roman festivals as part of the All Saints' Day rituals. The Catholic Church designated Nov. 2 as All Souls' Day, to honor the dead.

The mass said on All Saints' Day was known as Allhallowmas. The evening before, Oct. 31, became know as All Hallow Even. Over time the name has been shortened to Halloween.

The custom of trick-or-treating is thought to have originated with a ninth-century European custom called souling. On All Souls' Day, early Christians would walk from village to village begging for "soul cakes," made out of square pieces of bread with currants. The more soul cakes the beggars received, the more prayers they would promise to say on behalf of the dead relatives of the donors. At the time, it was believed that the dead remained in limbo for a time after death, and that prayer, even by strangers, could expedite a soul's passage into heaven.

The ancients chose this time of year to celebrate the dead. The harvests were done and the fields lay empty. The days of sun were at an end and the days of dark were beginning. For those who believed in rebirth, it was a time to reach and touch those beliefs. Just as the fields now lay bare, they would flower again in the spring.

Note from Beth Bruno: Make this a Halloween for REAL lost souls, too. Connecticut homeless shelters and soup kitchens always welcome donations and volunteers. When you accompany your trick-or-treaters on their rounds this year, collect some "treats" for the homeless and hungry, too.

LINKS:

For lots of tidbits about Halloween, visit The Haunted Pumpkin Patch.

Please send questions or comments to bbruno@snet.net.