When most people think of a holiday, they typically imagine something related to a day that marks sacrifice, reform, independence or a religious tradition of the utmost importance. In order to celebrate the days that stand out on the calendar, a traditional ritual or activity is carried out in their honor.
One might consider it a little odd that American kids habitually dress up as their favorite fictional character or superhero and go door to door asking people for candy every 31st of October. Many consider Halloween to be a money grab by Spirit Halloween, the Mars family or some other prominent entity, but the reason why trick or treating is conducted in this way each year is deeper than most people think: it has its roots in a tradition as old as Western civilization itself.
Although some claim that Halloween originates from the Irish pagan holiday Samhain, it is undisputed that the practices that we currently associate with the holiday have their roots in Christian tradition. November 1 and 2 are All Hallows’ Day and All Saints’ Day, respectively. These religious days are both a celebration and remembrance of those who have passed away (hence the relation to Day of the Dead in Mexico). Halloween receives its name from All Hallows’ Eve, the 31st of October. During the Medieval Period, these three days, collectively known as the “Allhallowtide”, became holy days of obligation (when attending mass is required) for Western Christians. Several traditions of modern Halloween originated from this time. People often dressed in black and roamed the town, urging others to remember the souls of the dead. Children went from house to house, asking for soul cakes and praying for the return of souls in purgatory. Pumpkins were carved into jack-o’-lanterns to ward off evil spirits. These customs continue today through wearing costumes, trick or treating and carving pumpkins at one’s residence.
Halloween came under attack during the Protestant Reformation as a symbol of the Pope, but both Catholics and Protestants across Europe continued with candle-lit processions and the ringing of church bells for the dead. In what was to become the United States, Halloween traditions continued to be practiced by Anglicans and Catholics in the Southern and Middle colonies, while they were opposed by the Puritans in New England. It was not until large-scale Irish and Scottish immigration to the United States in the 19th century that Halloween became a mainstream holiday.
As it was in the Middle Ages, Halloween continues to be a widely celebrated holiday in the modern western world. Not only do people still trick or treat, dress up or carve pumpkins in the United States, but these practices have also spread throughout Europe, Latin America and even East Asia. Many regions of the world celebrate Allhallowtide in unique ways. For example, in Mexico, deceased family members are honored with altars known as ofrendas, decorated with items and photos in their memory. Although traditions of walking door to door for candy and dressing up in bizarre costumes may appear to be silly, they are rooted in a centuries-long Western tradition of praying for souls in purgatory and honoring those who came before us.
