1. Origins and Traditions
Halloween
Origins and Traditions

2. Origins
Halloween began two thousand years ago in Ireland, England, and Northern France with the ancient religion of the Celts (Paganism).

3. Samhain (sow-in)
On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.

4. The Celts believed all laws of space and time were suspended during this time, allowing the spirit world to intermingle with the living.

5. Costumes
People thought that they would encounter ghosts if they left their homes…

6. So they wore costumes.
This way, the ghosts couldn’t recognize them!

7. They celebrated their New Year on November 1st.
This day marked the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death.

8. The Christian Influence
As the influence of Christianity spread into Celtic lands, in the 7th century, Pope Boniface IV introduced All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs, to replace the Pagan festival of Samhain. It was observed on May 13th.

9. A change of date
In 834, Pope Gregory III moved All Saint's Day from May 13th to Nov. 1st.
Oct. 31st thus became All Hallows' Eve ('hallow' means 'saint').

10. All Souls Day
November 2nd, called All Souls Day, is the day set apart in the Roman Catholic Church for the commemoration of the dead.

11. Trick-or-treating began with the poor in the 15th century…
During the All Souls Day festival in England, poor people would beg for “soul cakes,” made out of square pieces of bread with currants
Families would give soul cakes in return for a promise to pray for the family’s relatives

12. then children…
The practice, which was referred to as "going a-souling" was eventually taken up by children who would visit the houses in their neighborhood and be given ale, food, and money.

13. This is one origin of trick-or-treating.

14. In the 1800’s, people started to have Halloween parties
In the 1800’s, people started to have Halloween parties. Part of the celebrations included costumes, fortune telling, and games such as bobbing for apples.

15. With Irish Immigration…
In 1848, millions of Irish emigrants poured into America as a result of the potato famine. They brought with them their traditions of Halloween.
Halloween came to America.

16. At the turn of the century, cities were overcrowded and Halloween marked the time to let off steam by playing practical jokes. By the 1930’s, things had gotten out of hand and serious damage was being done on Halloween. Trick or treating was promoted as an alternative to vandalism.

17. The Legend of the Jack-O-Lantern
A man named Jack, who was notorious as a drunkard and a trickster, tricked Satan into climbing a tree. Jack then carved an image of the cross into the tree’s trunk, trapping the devil up the tree. Jack made a deal with the devil that, if he would never tempt him again, he would promise to let him down the tree.

18. According to the folk tale, after Jack died, he was denied entrance to heaven because of his evil ways, but he was also denied access to hell because he had tricked the devil. Instead, the devil gave him a single ember to light his way through the frigid darkness. The ember was placed inside a hollowed out turnip to keep it glowing longer.

19. The Jack-O-Lantern
The Irish used to carry turnips with candles in them to light their way at night and to scare away ghosts..

20. When they arrived in America they found that pumpkins were both plentiful and easier to carve than turnips.

21. Now, Jack-O-Lanterns are used for decorating people’s homes.

22. People have recently started carving less traditional Jack-O-Lanterns

23. Today:
Children still go from house-to-house, but instead of ale, food, and money, they get candy.

24. Today people go to parties…

25. Take their kids trick-or-treating.…

26. And eat lots of candy!

27. If you don’t give candy to a trick-or-treater…

28. This could happen to you!

29. A cup of candy corn has fewer calories than a cup of raisins.

30. "Phasmophobia" is the fear of ghosts
"Phasmophobia" is the fear of ghosts. "Samhainophobia" is the morbid fear of Halloween. The origin of the term traces back to the Celtic word Samhuin

31. The Celtic festival of Samhain is the basis for Halloween
The Celtic festival of Samhain is the basis for Halloween. Samhain was signalizing the close of harvest and the initiation of the winter season.

32. festivities, as do 67 percent of adults.
Eighty-two percent of children take part in Halloween
festivities, as do 67 percent of adults.

33. Happy Halloween!
The End