Halloween: a holiday with long-lasting tradition

The time has come for us all to dust off our cat ears and devils horns, let our freak flags fly and observe All Hallows Eve. There are many ways that many different people celebrate this holiday.

To the Pagan community it is known as the time of Samhain (pronounced Sow-en). Millions of people will celebrate this holy day,

Some will use it as an excuse to dress up and let their inhibitions run free, and others will spend the day praying for their souls.

Thousand of years ago Samhain was celebrated by the ancient Celtic community; Oct. 31 was thought to be a day when the veil between the living and dead was thin allowing spirits to walk the earth.

This day was celebrated by a night of costumes made of animal skins and fortune telling while sitting amongst a bonfire that would be fueled by sacrifices of animals and crops. The end of the harvest was marked by Nov. 1.

When Christians conquered the Celts, around the year 43 A.D., the celebration became known as All Hallows Eve and All Saints Day and was celebrated from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2.

The celebration arrived in America around the 1800s with the influx of European Immigrants.

Now this day is observed when millions of children and adults alike come out dressed up cartoon characters, monsters and breathalyzers… Yes… Breathalyzers.

Americans spend about $8.9 billion on Halloween alone.

Traditions that come with the Halloween time of year are various and all have meaning.

The story of the Jack O’ Lantern began in Ireland centuries ago with the story of a trickster named Stingy Jack who tricked the devil and was refused entrance to both Heaven and Hell.

Jack was given a single burning coal to light his way through exile to purgatory of which he placed in a carved out turnip.

The people of Ireland began to do the same to ward of Stingy Jack and any other wondering spirits. Maybe you’ll think twice the next time you play a prank. There are different opinions about the tradition of “Trick or Treat.

One belief is that the tradition was started by the church to discourage the practice of food and wine being left for the dead as offerings.

During this time it was thought that a person’s soul remained between the realm of the living and the dead and the right amount of prayer could send them to Heaven.

A person would go door to door asking for soul cakes for the dead.

Soul Cakes were pastries similar to Scones with currants.

For each cake a person received a prayer was believed to be sent for their loved ones salvation. This tradition faded away and was later revived as” Trick or Treating” around the mid 1900s.

Costumes alone account for over half of that. Dressing up began in Europe during a time when it was thought that the souls wandered the earth. Dressing up was a way to blend in with the ghouls.

It is surprising to see how much a tradition can change throughout history.

The way different cultures and religions view Halloween’s observance is as diverse as Samhain celebrations held by local Pagans to Trunk n’ Treat events at local churches.

No matter how you observe this holiday Halloween is meant to be a fun and safe time for children of all ages, so enjoy yourselves this upcoming Halloween.

By Jennyfer Keohane Contributing Writer