HISTORY OF HALLOWEEN

​HISTORY OF HALLOWEEN

By RHONDA LANG

Today we are going to talk about one of the most popular holidays of the year — Halloween!
We all know it’s a time for costumes, candy, and spooky fun… but have you ever stopped and wondered where did Halloween actually come from?

​

Trick or Treat!

Poll

👉 How old do you think Halloween traditions are?

• 100 years old

• 500 years old

• 2,000 years old

• 10,000 years old

Halloween started a really long time ago — over 2,000 years ago — with a group of people called the Celts.
They lived in what we now call Ireland, Scotland, and parts of France.

Every year, the Celts celebrated a festival called Samhain.
It was held at the end of October, when they finished the harvest and got ready for the cold, dark winter.

​

The Ancient Festival – Samhain

They believed that on the night of October 31, the line between the living and the dead got blurry.
Spirits would come back to visit — some friendly, some not so friendly.

To protect themselves, people would light big bonfires and wear costumes made from animal skins to hide from any bad spirits that might be wandering around.
So — right there — that’s the first version of Halloween costumes!

​

The Ancient Festival – Samhain

Hundreds of years later, Christianity spread across Europe. The Church wanted to replace old celebrations like Samhain with Christian ones.

So they made a special holiday called All Saints’ Day, also called All Hallows’ Day, on November 1. It was a day to honor all the saints.

That means the night before — October 31 — was called All Hallows’ Eve. And over time, that name changed to Halloween!

​

⛪ Then Came the Church…

In medieval times, people in England and Ireland went door to door asking for small cakes called “soul cakes.”
In return, they promised to pray for the dead — this was called souling.

Later, kids began “guising” — dressing up in costumes and doing little performances or tricks to earn food or coins. These traditions blended together and became what we now call trick-or-treating!

​

Trick-or-Treating Begins

In the 1800s, many Irish immigrants came to America, bringing their Halloween traditions with them.
Americans loved the fun — they added pumpkins, costumes, parties, and candy!

​

Halloween Comes to United States!

Now, what about pumpkins?
That actually comes from an old Irish legend about a man named Stingy Jack.

The story goes that Jack played tricks on the devil, but when he died, he wasn’t allowed into heaven or hell.
So, he had to wander the earth forever — carrying a glowing coal inside a carved-out turnip to light his way.
When people moved to America, they found that pumpkins were easier to carve than turnips — and the jack-o’-lantern was born!

​

🎃 The Jack-o’-Lantern Story

Home

Open in new tab

Copy link

Poll

Do people around the world celebrate Halloween the same way?

• Yes!

• No!

• I have no clue.

People around the world celebrate Halloween in different ways. Let's take a look at some countries and their traditions.

In Mexico, people celebrate Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, on November 1st and 2nd.
But it’s not a sad holiday — it’s a joyful celebration to remember and honor loved ones who have died.

Families build altars (ofrendas) decorated with candles, flowers (especially marigolds 🌼), photos, and food.
People also paint their faces like colorful skulls called calaveras, and there are parades full of music and dancing.

Instead of being spooky, this celebration is about love and remembrance.

​

MEXICO

Halloween began in Ireland and even today, people there still light bonfires, dress in costumes, and play old-fashioned games like “bobbing for apples.
Modern Irish Halloween fun includes:
🎆 Fireworks and bonfires
🎭 Costume parties and parades, especially in Derry, which hosts one of the world’s largest Halloween festivals.
🍞 Traditional foods like barmbrack, a sweet fruit bread baked with hidden items (like a ring or coin) that predict your future — kind of like a Halloween fortune-telling game!
🍎 Bobbing for apples and playing games that go all the way back to ancient times.

​

IRELAND

In Japan, Halloween has become popular only in the last few decades, but they celebrate it in style!
The most famous event is the Kawasaki Halloween Parade, where thousands of people wear incredible costumes — from anime characters to spooky monsters.

However, in Japan, trick-or-treating isn’t common. It’s more about dressing up, music, and fun festivals.
Many people celebrate at theme parks like Tokyo Disneyland or Universal Studios Japan, which hold huge Halloween parties. 🎢

​

JAPAN

In the Philippines, people celebrate Pangangaluluwa around the same time as Halloween.
Children and adults go house to house, singing songs and praying for the souls of those who have passed away — kind of like trick-or-treating, but with a spiritual meaning.

Families also visit cemeteries, bring food, light candles, and spend time together to remember loved ones.
It’s a beautiful mix of faith, family, and tradition.

​

The Philippines

In China, people celebrate something called the Hungry Ghost Festival in late summer. They believe that spirits visit the living during this time.

Families leave food and gifts out for these spirits and burn paper money as offerings.
Lanterns are also placed on water to guide lost spirits safely back home.

It’s a time to show respect for ancestors and make sure the spirits are happy.

​

CHINA

Poll

If you could celebrate Halloween in another country, which would you choose?

• MEXICO

• JAPAN

• PHILLIPPINES

• CHINA

• IRELAND

Did you know?
Americans spent $700 million on costumes for their pets in 2024.

​

PET COSTUMES

So we’ve learned how people around the world celebrate Halloween — but how do we celebrate it here at home?

One of the most popular ways is by watching Halloween movies! 🍿👻

There are different kinds of Halloween movies — from cute and funny to mysterious and magical.
Let’s look at some famous ones you might recognize!

​

HALLOWEEN MOVIES

🧙‍♀️ Hocus Pocus (1993) — Three funny witches accidentally return to modern-day Salem!

• 🎃 The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) — Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, tries to take over Christmas.

• 👧 Coraline (2009) — A brave girl explores a creepy “other world” and learns to appreciate her real life.

• 🕸️ Monster House (2006) — Three kids discover their neighbor’s house is alive!

• 🧟 Hotel Transylvania (2012) — A hilarious story about monsters on vacation!
  

​

HALLOWEEN MOVIES