HalloweenOriginsandTraditionsOriginsHalloweenbegantwothousandyearsagoinIreland,England,andNorthernFrancewiththeancientreligionoftheCelts(Paganism).TheycelebratedtheirNew

YearonNovember1st.Thisdaymarkedthebeginningofthedark,coldwinter,atimeofyearthatwasoftenassociatedwithhumandeath.Samhain(sow-in)OnthenightofOctober31,theycelebratedSamhain,whenitwasbelievedthattheghostsofthedeadreturnedtoearth.CostumesPeoplethoughtthattheywouldencounterghostsiftheylefttheirhomes…Sotheyworecostumes.Thisway,theghostscouldn’trecognizethem!TheChristianInfluenceAstheinfluenceofChristianityspreadintoCelticlands,inthe7thcentury,PopeBonifaceIVintroducedAllSaints'Day,atimetohonorsaintsandmartyrs,toreplacethePaganfestivalofSamhain.ItwasobservedonMay13th.

AchangeofdateIn834,PopeGregoryIIImovedAllSaint'sDayfromMay13thtoNov.1st.Oct.31stthusbecameAllHallows'Eve('hallow'means'saint').AllSoulsDayNovember2nd,calledAllSoulsDay,isthedaysetapartintheRomanCatholicChurchforthecommemorationofthedead.Trick-or-treatingbeganwiththepoorinthe15thcentury…DuringtheAllSoulsDayfestivalinEngland,poorpeoplewouldbegfor“soulcakes,”madeoutofsquarepiecesofbreadwithcurrants

Familieswouldgivesoulcakesinreturnforapromisetoprayforthefamily’srelativesthenchildren…Thepractice,whichwasreferredtoas"goinga-souling"waseventuallytakenupbychildrenwhowouldvisitthehousesintheirneighborhoodandbegivenale,food,andmoney.Today:Childrenstillgofromhouse-to-house,butinsteadofale,food,andmoney,theygetcandy.WithIrishImmigration…In1848,millionsofIrishemigrantspouredintoAmericaasaresultofthepotatofamine.TheybroughtwiththemtheirtraditionsofHalloween.HalloweencametoAmerica.TheycalledHalloweenOidcheShamhna(`NightofSamhain'),astheirancestorshad,andkeptthetraditionalobservances.TheJack-O-LanternTheIrishusedtocarryturnipswithcandlesinthemtolighttheirwayatnightandtoscareawayghosts..WhentheyarrivedinAmericatheyfound

thatpumpkinswerebothplentifulandeasiertocarvethanturnips.

Now,Jack-O-Lanternsareusedfordecoratingpeople’shomes.PeoplehaverecentlystartedcarvinglesstraditionalJack-O-LanternsTodaypeoplegotoparties…Taketheirkidstrick-or-treating.…Andeatlotsofcandy!Ifyoudon’tgivecandytoatrick-or-treater…Thiscouldhappentoyou!Bibliography/holidays/hallown.htm/halloween/heritage/oct97/historyhall/wiki/All_Souls_Day#Pagan_rootsTheEndHappyHalloween!Thispowerpointwaskindlydonatedtoishometooverathousandpo