Halloween Day 2020 images: know the date and all the history of Halloween
Halloween is an ancient Celtic festival celebrated on the last day of harvest in European countries and America. Over the years, Halloween is celebrated all over the world and has become very popular in Indian cities. Halloween is a public holiday in most of Europe and the United States. In India, kids have fun on Halloween, dress up in spooky costumes, and visit friends with bags of goodies, but it’s no holiday here. Halloween is celebrated annually on October 31st and this year it’s the weekend. So plan ahead and get ready for some spooky fun.
Halloween story and 10 fun facts
- The history of Halloween dates back over 2000 years.
- Halloween was born with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, a pagan religious tradition.
- People lit bonfires and wore unconventional costumes to ward off ghosts.
- According to history.com, “In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor all saints. Soon All Saints’ Day incorporated some of Samhain’s traditions.”
- All Saints’ Eve was known as “All Hallows Eve”, and later Halloween.
- For countries in northern latitudes, the day marked the end of summer and the start of a cold, gloomy winter where death and illness were common.
- Over the centuries, the nature of Halloween celebrations has changed. Today, Halloween is about kids who put on scary costumes and ask for “something or a treat.”
- The “treat” is primarily a form of candy or chocolate that is given to children and the “trick” refers to a threat – usually idle – if something nice is not given.
- “Trick or Treat” is said to be derived from ancient Irish and Scottish practices. According to history.com, in Ireland people would put on costumes and go door to door and sing songs to the dead. They received cakes as payment.
- The origin of pumpkin carving also dates back to an Irish myth. Pumpkin carving is a must do Halloween activity and this year, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, it’s a great time to enjoy pumpkin carving with your family at home.
