History Of Halloween Essay

Origins of Halloween Traditions

Halloween has long been a night dedicated to remembering the dead and hiding away from witches and goblins. Halloween has evolved over the years and now includes many traditions that weren’t seen at the beginning of the celebrations. Even today, Halloween traditions are evolving and newer and more modern traditions are taking the place of older ones. However, some timeless traditions still remain.

Halloween Traditions and Their Origins

• Costumes: Costumes are one of the oldest Halloween traditions on record. The origin of Halloween is believed by scholars to be Samhain. There are historical records that indicate that the Celts whom participated in Samhain, would wear disguises to hide themselves from spirits

Pranks were mostly harmless and including things like knocking over outhouses, egging houses, and opening farmers’ gates. As time progressed the early 1920’s saw an increase in block parties and more act of vandalism. Games were introduced as an alternative to pranking and were encouraged once some pranks became a little too violent. Apples have been associated with Halloween since the colonial era where they would bob for apples, which during that time was used for fortune telling. The story states that the first person that successfully plucked an apple from the bucket using only their teeth would be the first to marry. Additionally, apples were thought to bring forth predictions of marriage. Young maidens would peel the apple at midnight and throw the peel over her shoulder. If done correctly, the apple skin would land in the shape of the first letter of her future spouse’s name. On Halloween, children would place a candle to a mirror at midnight and their future spouses face would appear. This game itself evolved into the much scarier variation that we know as “Bloody Mary” where saying the name “Bloody Mary” three times in a mirror at midnight would summon a terrifying spirit that would try to cause you