Halloween is celebrated annually on October 31, and is one of the most popular holidays because it is secular and children enjoy it! It is said that Halloween resulted from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The Celts, who lived over 2,000 years ago, believed that the dead returned to Earth on Samhain (October 31). During this night, people went door to door asking neighbors for fuel and food to set bonfires and offer sacrifices to pay homage to the deceased. During Celtic celebrations, brave villagers disguised themselves in costumes in animal skins to drive away spirits. Banquet tables were set up with prepared food left out to satisfy any spirits.
The modern form of Halloween as we know it was in place by the 1600s and adopted by Americans in the 1800s. Over the eras, Halloween transitioned from a spiritual ritual to a night of costumes, jack-o-lanterns, and trick-or-treating. The children going door to door is similar in what we do today, except our children now do not have to earn it other than by saying the words “trick or treat”. If not attending a party or taking a child trick-or-treating, the rest of the neighborhood is giving out the candy to the children. Even adults celebrate this holiday by decorating, dressing up, and hosting spooky parties. The most popular decoration and activity associated with Halloween is a carving pumpkin or Jack-O'Lanterns. Jack O'Lanterns are named after a trickster who was punished for scamming the Devil. Other staple decorations when celebrating Halloween are anything spooky like ghosts, witches, spiders, and bats. Dress up and enjoy this year's Halloween with our selection of costumes and decorations!
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