Hello Everyone,
Well it is that time of year. Of course I know everyone will probably be too busy today and tonight to really get a chance to read this segment about Halloween but here it is anyways.
The Name-Halloween:
Halloween, or as some call it Allhalloween, All Hallows’ Eve, or All Saints’ Eve. Why, you might ask. Well although the origins of the celebration go back very far and along different paths the name Halloween pretty much is the celebration of the dead. In the name Halloween it refers to saints. This is because the saint’s or “hallows” that they are also referred to as are celebrated on this day and their passing. Hence Halloween. It is also the start of the Allhallowtide which is a three day celebration in the Western Christian’s heritage of three days observing saints.
Origins:
Well just because the name has a different origin then many originally think that doesn’t mean the celebration or the date does. Most likely the idea of the celebration goes back to the celebration of the end of harvest season of Celtic cycles.
In actuality, the celebrations fall on the same night as the celebration of Samhain is the one night, Halloween, and not the three days of celebration in Allhallowtide. Still, the western Christian adaptation of the Gaelic festivals, is what we know today as Halloween.
Quick Breakdown:
Even though we share some of the same traditions mixed together into one holiday it still is a day that is meant to celebrate and remember the dead. In America and most modern civilizations we see it as a day to wear a guise, go Trick or Treating, eat candy, and watch scary movies. Although the official holiday goes back as far as the 8th Century we still now the basic relevance of the holiday but we just observe it differently.
On a final note, I hope everyone has a safe and happy Halloween. Watch your candy and watch out for those not using it as a day of celebration but a day to do harm. Plain and simple, just be safe and have fun.
Thanks for Reading,
Joshua Crane Dowidat
