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HALLOWEEN HISTORY & ORIGIN:

Halloween is one of the oldest holidays still celebrated today. It's one of the most popular holidays, some say, second only to Christmas. While millions of people celebrate Halloween without knowing it's origins and myths, the history and facts about Halloween make the holiday more fascinating.

Some people view it as a time of superstitions, ghosts, goblins and evil spirits that should be avoided at all costs. However, the holiday has, in fact, transitioned from a somber pagan ritual, to the day of merriment it has become...a time of fun, putting on costumes, trick-or-treating, and having theme parties.

HALLOWEEN HISTORY:

Halloween is celebrated on October 31st, the last day of the Celtic calendar. It was originally a Pagan holiday, honoring the dead, referred to as, All Hallows Eve, and dates back to over 2,000 years ago. All Hallows Eve is the evening before All Saints Day, which was created by Christians to convert Pagans, and is celebrated on November 1st. The Catholic Church designated this day specifically to honor it's saints.

ORIGIN OF HALLOWEEN:

While there are many versions of the origins and old customs of Halloween, some remain consistent by all accounts. Different cultures view Halloween differently, but traditional Halloween practices remain the same.

Halloween culture can be traced back to the Druids, a Celtic culture in Ireland, Britain and Northern Europe. Roots lay in the feast of Samhain, celebrated annually on October 31st, to honor the dead. Samhain signifies "summers end" or November. Samhain was a harvest festival with huge, sacred bonfires marking the end of the Celtic year and the beginning of a new one. Many of the practices involved in this celebration were motivated by superstition. The Celts believed the souls of the dead roamed the streets and villages at night. Since not all spirits were thought to be friendly, gifts and treats were left out to pacify the evil and ensure that next years crops would be plentiful. Do you get the connection? This custom evolved into Trick-or-Treating............<HAPPY HALLOWEEN>

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