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Writer's pictureSummer Gill

The Origins of Halloween

Halloween is mostly known for dressing up and knocking on peoples doors for candy. A lot of people use Halloween as a way of expressing their creativity in dressing up in a costume, but what if there's a deeper meaning behind Halloween? How did Halloween begin?.

Halloween in the United States started in the 1840s, however Halloween was once named the Celtic festival of Samhain during ancient times. People who celebrated this holiday were mostly Pagans and Celts, using costumes to look like harmful spirits in order to ward off ghosts because they believed the wall between the living and the dead was very thin on this day, therefore allowing the dead to cross over into earth to visit the living. Many Christians disagree with Halloween/the Celtic festival of Samhain due to it worshiping saints, demons and false religions.

Halloween wasn’t always on October 31st; in the Celtic times it was on November 1st. It was changed due to October 31st being the “Eve of All Saints Day”, a day in which Christians remember and honor the dead.

Trick or Treating started in the US in the 1930s and Trick or Treating was first used in the ancient times for the Celts who dressed up as spirits and the candy was used as offerings for them. There are also theories stating that the term “trick or treat” was named after the government had to get the activity into an organized manner after people were caught pranking or mocking people during the holiday.

No matter how you celebrate Halloween or your beliefs, have fun but if you go trick or treating please keep in mind that not everything is always going to be safe. If you get a piece of candy that looks as if it has been


tampered with DO NOT eat it and if you remember which house it came from, turn it into the police. Also make sure you are with a group of friends or your parents because it will be dark out and dangers are real. Stay safe y’all!


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