Halloween - American

Hello! I am Halloween, a holiday that arrives every year on October 31st. You might know me as a time for spooky fun, dressing up in costumes, and collecting lots of delicious candy. My full name is actually All Hallows' Eve. That name is a clue about my history, because it means “the evening before All Hallows’ Day,” which is another name for a Christian holiday called All Saints' Day. While my name is connected to that day, many of my most famous traditions started long, long ago.

My story began more than 2,000 years ago in Europe. It started with an ancient festival celebrated by people called the Celts. Their festival was named Samhain. For the Celts, Samhain was a very important time of year. It marked the end of the sunny harvest season, when all the crops were gathered from the fields. It also marked the beginning of the long, dark winter. The Celts believed that on the night of Samhain, the worlds of the living and the spirits came very close to each other, allowing ghosts to walk the earth.

Have you ever wondered why dressing up in costumes is such a big part of my celebration? This tradition comes directly from the festival of Samhain. Because the Celts believed that spirits were roaming around on that special night, they wanted to be safe. To protect themselves, they wore costumes made of things like animal skins and put on masks to hide their faces. They hoped that if any ghosts or spirits saw them, the spirits would think they were spirits, too, and would simply leave them alone.

Another one of my most famous symbols is the glowing jack-o'-lantern. This tradition was brought to America many years ago by immigrants who came from a country called Ireland. In their homeland, people carved scary faces into turnips. They would place a light inside and set the carved turnip outside their homes to scare away any wandering spirits. When these immigrants settled in America, they discovered that pumpkins were very common there. They soon realized that pumpkins were much bigger and much easier to carve than turnips, and a new tradition was born.

Today, especially in America, people celebrate me in many exciting ways. The most popular activity for children is called “trick-or-treating.” Kids put on their costumes and walk from house to house in their neighborhoods, knocking on doors and saying “Trick or treat!” to receive candy. Many people also throw costume parties for their friends and family. For those who enjoy a good scare, visiting haunted houses is a popular tradition. And for a cozy night in, many families gather to watch spooky movies together, enjoying the fun and frights of my special night.