Halloween All Over the World
Halloween is a time for celebration, trick or treating with the kids, and dressing up to have a little fun and let go of some of the stress of the day. It’s a way to be silly and wear something not normal by today’s standards. The celebration of Halloween has been celebrated for thousands of years, although in a very different way. It seems the present celebration has roots in history far more somber than what is seen today.
The roots of Halloween go back to the Romans and the Druids. The Roman worshiped many different gods on October 31 to celebrate and honor Pomona the patron goddess of fruit trees. The Druids worshiped Samhain (pronounced sow-en), lord of the dead on November 1, and later in history someone decided to combine the two ceremonies to extend the celebrations. The Druids believed that October 31 is the day Samhain called together evil souls and spirits which had been condemned to live in wild animals during the previous year.
The Druids were wary of wicked spirits and chose October 31 as a day of sacrifice to their god hoping for protection throughout the year. They believed that there were evil beings such as witches, spirits, ghosts, elves and fairies, which surrounded them on this day. Cats were holy animals that were reincarnations of evil doers, which are symbols that have come forward through history into the Halloween of today.
Trick or treating and Jack-o-lanterns come from Ireland hundreds of years ago by farmers going door to door in an effort to gather provisions to be used in the All Hallows Eve celebrations. They promised good fortune to those who helped and curses to those whom did not. The Jack o lantern was originally turnips and other squash, as well as pumpkins that were hollowed out and carved into a shape with a candle inside to ward off evil sprits.
Around 600 years ago the Roman Catholic Church, in an effort to convert Pagans to Christianity, turned the Pagan feast of Samhain into the Feast of All Saints. This made a day of frivolity and celebration into a holy day of devotion and prayer. Needless to say, it did not work.
Throughout history, different cultures have called Halloween by different names. Samhain by Celtic Druids, La Samhna in modern Irish, Nos Galen-Gaeaf (The Night of Winter Calends), by the Welsh, and Laa Houney, (Hollentide Day), by the Manx. Most Celtic scholars think it was the most important day as it marked the Celtic New Year, and many mythological stories are said to be centered on this day, where the forces of dark win temporary battles over the forces of light which signals the beginning of the cold, dark half of the year.
There are many different celebrations around the world where people dress in costumes and also celebrate on or around this time of year. The most recognizable celebration where people dress up in costumes in the United States, besides Halloween, is Mardi Gras, a celebration most notably held in New Orleans, Louisiana, but in other parts of the country as well, which celebrates the beginning of Lent. Protestants celebrate October 31 as Reformation Day, which is a day of remembrance and prayer. In Mexico, this is called Dia de las Muertas or the Day of the Dead, where they celebrate by wearing masks, burning candles, making lots of food for offerings to their dead in exchange for protection from harm. Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro is held four days before Ash Wednesday. In Arab countries this day is devoted to St. Barbara.
Some groups do not see Halloween as a holiday for fun, but as something a little more sinister. Christians celebrate All Saints Day, and while Evangelical, Mormon, and other fundamentalist religions hold that this is a day of worship for the occult, the Catholic Church sees it as a day of games which gives no threat to the spiritual well being of the individual. Some Wiccans see Halloween as a desecration of the celebration of Samhain.
Which ever the individual view of Halloween and other celebrations around this time of year, one thing is certain, that in history and in present times, the lure of autumn is something that seems to pull at many individuals through out the world.
