![]() The night before Samhain continued to be observed with bonfires, costumes, and parades, though under a new name: All Hallows' Eve-later "Halloween." Halloween Arrives in AmericaĮuropean immigrants brought Halloween to the United States, and the celebration really gathered steam in the 1800s, when Irish-American immigration exploded.Īnoka, Minnesota, may be home to the United States' oldest official Halloween celebration. In the seventh century Pope Boniface IV decreed November 1 All Saints' Day, or All Hallows' Day. Samhain was later transformed as Christian leaders co-opted pagan holidays. In an early form of trick-or-treating, Celts costumed as spirits are believed to have gone from house to house engaging in silly acts in exchange for food and drink-a practice inspired perhaps by an earlier custom of leaving food and drink outdoors as offerings to supernatural beings. Young men may have dressed as women and vice versa, marking a temporary breakdown of normal social divisions. Library of Congress.īy wearing masks or blackening their faces, Celts are also thought to have impersonated dead ancestors. ![]() In addition to sacrificing animals to the gods and gathering around bonfires, Celts often wore costumes-probably animal skins-to confuse spirits, perhaps to avoid being possessed, according to the American Folklife Center at the U.S. (See pictures of crypts and catacombs.) Celtic Costumes Fairies, demons, and other creatures were also said to be abroad. On Samhain eve-what we know as Halloween-spirits were thought to walk the Earth as they traveled to the afterlife. On what we consider November 1, Europe's Celtic peoples celebrated their New Year's Day, called Samhain (SAH-win). Halloween's origins date back more than 2,000 years. Over the centuries the celebration has seen a lot of changes, and we've summed them up here for you. Today's mix of parties, pranks, and profit is a far cry from Halloween's ancient origins. This article was updated October 19, 2018.
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