Halloween is a holiday celebrated on the night of October 31st in the United States, Canada, The United Kingdom, New Zealand and parts of Australia. Halloween has it's origins linked to an ancient Celtic celebration called Samhain. The Celtic culture referred to Samhain as the New Year or the end of the harvest season in the Gaelic Culture.
The old way of celebrating Halloween did not include happy costume parties and trick or treating. It included stocking up of supplies for winter. Ancient Gaelic folk believed that on the night of October 31st, the boundary between the living and dead would disappear. It was believed that the dead would pester the living causing problems like sickness and damaging property. To appease the dead, bonfires, which are still conducted on Halloween, would be built and the bones of the slaughtered livestock would be thrown in. Also, in an act of paying homage to dead, masks resembling the evil spirits would be worn.
The name Halloween came from All-Hallow-Even or All Hallows' Day, also called All Saint's Day. It is symbolized by carved pumpkins with candles placed inside giving out an eerie glow. These pumpkins are from the legend of Stingy Jack, an old Irish greedy farmer who tricked the devil into climbing a tree. He trapped the devil there carving a cross on the tree. The devil cursed the farmer into wandering the earth at nights with a light up turnip.
Picking out costumes for Halloween are one of the best parts about this holiday. October 31st nights are creepy in the West with vampires, mummies and ghosts all around the streets. Late night parties include scary decorations with orange and red lights and streamers. This is one of the most awaited holidays in the world.
