Ghosts, witches, and skeletons roam the earth one day every year. Are they looking to steal the souls of the living, or is there a less sinister explanation?

The holiday known as Halloween is celebrated on October 31. The modern day version and how it is celebrated has a history derived from a mixture of festivals and holy days, mainly the Celtic festival of Samhain and the Christian holy day of All Saints.

These celebrations were brought to America by immigrants, especially by the flood of Irish into the United States after the great potato famine of 1846. At this time, Halloween began to be celebrated all over the nation. Information on how to plan an old time Halloween celebration is available at FamilyCorner.

While most of the traditions that are associated with Halloween come from other countries, Jack-'o-lanterns carved from pumpkins are an American invention. Other vegetables such as turnips had been carved throughout Ireland and Britain for years, but pumpkins were first turned into lanterns in the United States, They were originally associated with celebrating the harvest, and then by 1866, pumpkin jack-o'-lanterns were used to celebrate Halloween.

Trick or treating has also evolved over the years. This practice can be traced back to the early celebrations of All Soul's Day in Britain. Beggars would go door to door in a manner that was called "going a souling," and housewives would give them treats of soul cakes when they promised to say a prayer for the dead. Over time the custom changed and children would dress up and go door-to door begging for treats.

Today, candy and other Halloween goodies are given out to anyone dressed in a costume who goes trick or treating. Easy do it yourself costume ideas for children may be found on Ehow. Adults may also find ideas there too, or from the story carried by Fox News. Some prefer to hand out healthy treats to costumed visitors, while others go for spooky treats.

Good photos are a way to preserve memories of the best Halloween costume or the spookiest party ever. For tips on taking Halloween photos stop by the NYIP tip site.

Food and costumes are only part of the fun of Halloween. The holiday also comes with its own great collection of songs, poems and jokes, not to mention some really awesome pranks to play on family and friends.