Antonio Faten
Halloween: A time of year for costumed trick-or-treaters’ sugar rushes, ghosts, and other spooks. For centuries, this tradition has endured the test of time. As Halloween continues to be such an anticipated event and widely celebrated holiday in the U.S. and other Western countries, it prompts the question, “What’s the whole purpose of this spooky festivity? Why have we been able to maintain the widespread enthusiasm over this holiday for so long?” To answer this, we must go back in time, we find our destination around 400 BC, Europe.
Ritual of the Celts
The holiday’s roots date back to the days of the Celts of ancient Britain and Ireland. Held on the 1st of November is the Samhain festival, a religious pagan ceremony where the realm of the gods becomes visible to humans. During this time, the gods would play tricks on their worshipers, striking danger, fear, and other supernatural episodes. Normal events and such, not nightmare material at all…On the more positive and uplifting end of things, the ancient Celts did this to counter the seasons and other entities that posed a danger to their way of life.
All Saint’s Day
The holiday’s roots date back to the days of the Celts of ancient Britain and Ireland. Held on the 1st of November is the Samhain festival, a religious pagan ceremony where the realm of the gods becomes visible to humans. During this time, the gods would play tricks on their worshipers, striking danger, fear, and other supernatural episodes. Normal events and such, not nightmare material at all…On the more positive and uplifting end of things, the ancient Celts did this to counter the seasons and other entities that posed a danger to their way of life.
The Secular Holiday
In the Middle Ages, the two secular and sacred days would merge as one. Soon the Reformation would put an end to the religious holiday, even though it was still celebrated in Britain. In the 1800’s the celebration of Halloween was strictly prohibited among the early American colonists, though they did incorporate elements of the holiday to mark the harvests of the seasons. By the 19th century, many immigrants, including the Irish, would bring the traditional practices of the ancient customs to America; eventually establishing itself as an official U.S. holiday that turned favorably towards children. Quite a complicated history of a national holiday that is often associated with pop culture costumes and boozy evenings!
The Spirit of Halloween
The holiday would inspire people to create their own stories using elements of the festivities. One of the most famous among these stories is The Addams Family. A gothic, spooky family with a frequent habit of causing shenanigans. Not only within the family but also with their neighbors. Their popularity grew tremendously, so much so that they would have numerous films and reboots, outlasting other holiday horror shows well past their prime.
Another fine example comes from the mind of legendary director Tim Burton, whose concept becomes a somewhat spiritual embodiment of Halloween. That film is none other than the 1993 stop-motion film The Nightmare Before Christmas. The film revolves around Jack Skellington the Pumpkin King and ruler of Halloween Town. During one celebration for the festivities, he grew bored of the same routine and craved something different. This eventually led him to discover numerous doors that bore a resemblance to each holiday season.
One door in particular caught his eye. The door to Christmas town, and with the new concept of Christmas seeded in his mind, Jack sets out to create the best Halloween experience ever. In conclusion, Halloween started as a pagan religion to ward off bad things. Then, as time went on, it transitioned into a day for families to light-heartedly celebrate, pass out candy, and give people a little scare. It became so popular that it eventually led to the development of TV and film productions, even merch. For most of us, Halloween is a highly anticipated “fun” event, but for those who dare to delve into its paranormal roots – be sure to leave the lights on.
Work Cited
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057729
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Samhain
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Halloween
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107688