As we near the end of October, no one can help themselves but think about the upcoming holiday of Halloween. From stuffing your face full of candy until you barf, to wearing the most ridiculous costumes like a vending machine or a sumo wrestler, Halloween is by far one of the most celebrated and commercialized holidays in the United States. Every holiday has a special history, which has allowed it to survive through multiple generations. Sometimes, however, that meaning is forgotten. We all know the significance behind Christmas and Memorial day, but what about Halloween? How did it come into place? How does its significance play a role in American culture and in Bard?
Halloween wasn’t originally called Halloween, obviously. The history of this holiday dates back over 2,000 years, when it was once the Festival of Samhain, celebrated by the Celts. The Celts are a group of people who originated from Ireland, the United Kingdom, and even parts of France. The festival of Samhain was created to mark the beginning of the harvest, when the barrier between the living and the dead would be “blurred”. By 43 A.D, the Roman Empire began to conquer many parts of Europe, including some of the Celtic territory, ruling this land for over 400 years. Christianity became a major influence in the Roman empire, and even influenced the citizens of their territory.
Over time, Christian and Celtic traditions began merging with one another. The church eventually established the holiday of All Soul’s day, which was believed as an attempt to wipe away the culture and influence of the Celtic people. Eventually, the holiday was renamed to “All Saints Day” by Pope Boniface IV, to commemorate the Christian martyrs. It was eventually remodeled by Pope Gregory III to include all of the Celtic traditions that held major influence in the holiday.
Throughout time, the holiday was eventually renamed to All-Hallows Eve, which gradually evolved into the holiday we know and love: Halloween. Now, one of the most popular traditions on Halloween is the thrill of dressing up in silly costumes and trick or treating. Where did this traditions originate from? Similar to the origin of Halloween entirely, the Celtic people would often wear clothes made of animal skin and leave out vast amounts of food, to turn away any ghouls or unwelcome spirits. This tradition eventually evolved into costumes and trick-or-treating.
However, trick or treating didn’t start out as random people showing up to your house and asking for candy. In 1605, in Great Britain, children wore masks and went from door to door, begging for pennies. This was done to commemorate the foiling of an event known as the Gunpowder Plot. This event is believed to have a direct connection to modern day trick or treating. The origins of trick or treating and costumes dates back as far as the Middle Ages.
Halloween at Bard is a major part of the school’s culture. Every year, the school hosts a haunted house to commemorate the thrilling holiday. The school also sets up plenty of decorations to better entertain students. Let’s also not forget the insane costumes people come up with every single year, to better celebrate the holiday. Although the meaning of Halloween has evolved plentifully over the past 2,000 years and has evolved into one giant commercialized holiday, It still has a place in all of our hearts as a time of joy and thrill.