Halloween is almost here! There’s only a few days left until you get your costume out of the closet and watch a horror movie marathon with your friends. But even if that’s still not enough, what if we talked about how it all started?
The origin of Halloween
It all started more than 2,000 years ago with the Celts. They celebrated the Samhaincelebration that marked the end of summer and the beginning of winter. Since winter was the coldest and darkest season, it was believed that on the night of October 31, the spirits of the dead returned to Earth to visit their families.
To protect villages from evil spirits, the Celts lit and used fires scary costumes (generally made from animal skin), believing that this would confuse them. This tradition of dressing up eventually morphed into the creative and often scary clothes we wear today.
With the advent of Christianity, pagan traditions mixed with religious customs. In the 8th century, Pope Gregory III declared November 1 as the date All Saints’ Daya date to honor the saints of the Church. The night before he came to get called All Saints’ Eve (All Saints’ Day), later shortened to Halloween.
How did Halloween end in the United States?
In the 19th century, Irish immigrants brought this tradition to the United States, where it took the form we know today. In addition to carved pumpkins with scary faces (the famous Jack O’Lantern), the joke was born “trick or treat”. According to legend, pumpkin carving began with Jack, a cunning man who managed to defeat the devil and was cursed to wander the world carrying a lantern with him. To scare away the spirits, pumpkins with candles inside began to be used, and the tradition spread.
And here in Brazil?
In Brazil, Halloween is not part of the oldest traditions, but, thanks to the influence of films, series and social networks, it has been gaining ground in recent decades, especially among young people. Today it is normal to see costume parties and horror movie fans already have everything ready to watch their favorites!
Now that you know where Halloween comes from, have you decided how to celebrate it? It could be a party with friends or a horror movie marathon: the important thing is to have fun!
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
