Ive had many folks this week ask me if I was going to scribble a column about the history of Halloween. One individual asked me if I could find out whether it was malignant. Its ancient origin essentially starts with the Celtics, who lived about 2k years back in what's now Eire .
They celebrated the end of the Celtic Summer with a vacation called Samhain ( sow-hen ) on Oct 31. When the Romans conquered the Celtics they adopted the manners of the Celtics and included them in their own vacations. In the Middle English language, the name of the holiday was Al-hallowmas. the evening before was called, Al-hallows Eve that at last modified to Halloween. When the Irish and English immigrated to America, they brought with them their customs. In the 1800s and early 1900s Halloween was more of a community event. It had been a time that adults even wearing costumes and there were often community get-togethers. vandalism by adults changed into a problem, so communities started to change the focus of Halloween to children. Trick-or-treating was revived as a technique for the community to take part in the party. In the parades lauding saints, poor voters would beg for pastries called soul cakes. The poor would guarantee to wish for dead family members of the people that gave them cakes ( A little later if you ask me ). So how did stuff like magicians and magicians become involved in Halloween. One time was the evening before May Day and, yes, you know it, the other was Halloween. My question is : You would need to meet a hag why?? To me, this appears more like recommendation on how not to meet a hag. So, yes, Halloween does have pagan roots in a way, but so do Yuletide trees and the Easter Bunny. But the question put to me was, Do I believe Halloween is evil? No, not particularly. Im sure some badly judged folks worship the demon on Halloween, but we do not. Im just as sure those people worship the demon at other times also not just Halloween. Before you ask, Yes, Ive frequently heard the cry of, But Mom, so-and-so gets to wear a hags, demon, or other noxious type costume.
My reply, If so and so were my kid he / she wouldnt be wearing it. It is not my business to fret about how some other person raises their child.
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