Halloween Traditions and Origins

Halloween is a popular holiday in the U.S., celebrated on October 31st with activities like trick-or-treating and costume-wearing. It originated from the Celtic Festival Sawan, marking the end of harvest. The name Halloween comes from All Hallows Eve, the day before All Saints Day. Traditions include wearing costumes to ward off spirits, trick-or-treating, and carving jack-o-lanterns. A new trend is celebrating Halloween in July. For more ideas, visit Twinkl.

Which holiday is more popular than Halloween in the United States?

• Thanksgiving

• Easter

• Christmas

• New Year's Day

From which ancient festival is Halloween believed to have originated?

• Imbolc

• Beltane

• Lughnasadh

• Samhain

What does the name 'Halloween' originally refer to?

• All Saints Day

• All Hallows Eve

• Ghost Night

• Harvest Festival

Why did people originally wear masks on Halloween?

• To celebrate the harvest

• To fool ghosts into thinking they were spirits

• To look like their favorite characters

• To scare away animals

What is the modern activity of 'trick-or-treating' believed to have evolved from?

• Leaving food outside to deter spirits

• Wearing costumes

• Carving pumpkins

• Harvest feasts

What are carved pumpkins commonly called during Halloween?

• Pumpkin heads

• Lanterns

• Jack-o-lanterns

• Pumpkin faces

What is a growing trend in the United States related to Halloween?

• Celebrating Halloween in July

• Dressing up as historical figures

• Only using natural decorations

• Banning candy