HALLOWEEN: ORIGINS & TRADITIONS

The origins of Halloween go back to the Celts. The Celts lived in the British Isles during ancient times (5th century BC). They were pagans. They believed in the gods of nature.

There was an important festival on the Celtic calendar: it was called Samhain. It marked the end of summer, on October 31st. Samhain was also the last day of the year on the Celtic calendar.

Samhain was the Celtic god of death. The Celts were afraid of winter. They associated it with death and evil spirits.The Druids were Celtic priests and teachers. They were very important in the Celtic society. Everyone respected them. They practiced magic and religious rituals.

Samhain, on October 31st, was an important day for the Druids. They made big fires to frighten the spirits of evil and death and predicted the future.

Celtic people dressed in scary costumes to frighten the evil spirits. They dressed as witches, ghosts and skeletons. They also played games to bring good luck in the new year. The Celts believed that on the night of October 31st, ghosts came out of their tombs and the spirits of the dead returned to earth.

TRICK OR TREAT?

American and British children play “Trick or Treat?”. They go from door to door asking for a treat (a sweet) and if they do not receive one they play a nasty trick.

Typical Halloween tricks are: writing on doors with coloured pens, writing on windows with soap, and spraying shaving cream on cars and people!

On Halloween night, almost every home in America and Great Britain has a Jack O'Lantern. It is put in front of the window.

Children play trick-or-treat on Halloween night. They dress up in their costumes and mask. Then they go around their neighbourhood and ring their neighbours' doorbells. When the door opens, the children say: "Trick-or-treat”?