Halloween or Hallowe’en, also known as Allhalloween, All Hallows’ Eve, or All Saints’ Eve, is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows’ Day.
It begins the observance of Allhallowtide, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the departed. Halloween is a holiday celebrated each year on October 31, and Halloween 2021 will occur on Sunday, October 31. The tradition originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts.
Halloween is that time of the year when our spooky senses come to life! Every year, the world celebrates Halloween on October 31; where we put on our avant-garde costumes and party, collect candies, watch horror movies, and read classic gothic novels.
Halloween: Significance
The traditions surrounding this festival have evolved over the years and before it came to be known as the occasion to dress-up, cosplay as pop-culture references and stuff ourselves with candy, it was celebrated as a solemn occasion, one that was observed in honor of those that has passed away, including the saints (hallows), martyrs and all the faithfully departed.
The origins of All Hallows’ Eve can be traced back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which was a harvest festival. The Celtics were a people that came 2000 years ago, and their celebration of Halloween was centred around the end of the harvest season and beginning of the cold winter months. Some even believe that this festival might be rooted in paganism.
Celtics strongly believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the dead and the living became blurred. On the night of October 31 every year, they celebrated Samhain, when it was trusted that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.
In Samhain, people would light bonfires and wear avant-garde costumes to keep the ghosts at bay.
Dates for Halloween:
Usually, Halloween is celebrated in October, but in some traditional and ancient places, it is carried on until November 2nd as well.
In 2022, Halloween will be celebrated on Monday, October 31.
In 2023, Halloween will be celebrated on Tuesday, October 31
In 2024, Halloween will be celebrated on Wednesday, October 31
Celebrating Halloween:
With time Halloween evolved into a day of fun activities like trick-or-treating hoping to fill their bags with sugar candy, carving pumpkin lanterns, family gatherings, donning Interesting but spooky costumes of ghouls, pirates, etc., and eating treats.
With the current situation of pandemic and the advancement of the vaccine, let’s hope to celebrate Halloween this year in the presence of our loved ones, and if not then virtual meetings are always to the rescue.
Through the course of the years, the rituals surrounding the festival have transformed in accordance with the modern day and the only ghosts and ghouls roaming the land of the living are the ones who go from door to door asking for candy. Families around the world decorate their homes in the most elaborate fashion to scare all passers-by.
Older kids and young adults who are too old for trick or treating amuse themselves with Halloween themed costume parties, where they dress up as their favourite characters from television or popular media. The more elaborate and awe-inspiring the costume, the better!
People partake in the ritual of carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns, playing pranks on each other, visiting the nearest sight of rumoured hauntings and even the occasion ‘TPing’ of certain houses who refuse to celebrate alongside them.
However, you spend this vastly anticipated holiday, it is sure to get to you in the mood of the upcoming winter months and the joys of the yuletide that come along with it. With the current coronavirus climate, it is necessary to maintain all health protocols during the celebrations in order to ensure your own safety and of those around you. Happy Halloween!
