There is simply something about the windswept and darkening days of October! From time immemorial, the march towards winter has been celebrated by many cultures with trepidation of life and death, harvest celebrations included.
In the northern hemisphere, the equinox shepherds in spring and fall. It marks the days when, owing to the tilt of the earth relative to the sun, night and day are equal in a twenty-four hour period, the days shortening until winter solstice, the shortest day around Christmas time. This also meant the coming of winter!
Because of the obvious parallel with the “dying” of the natural world, autumn is associated with death, and also with remembrance of the dead.
Ancient Origins
Halloween, as we know it, is actually a mix of ancient and Christian practices. For the ancient Greeks, the return of the goddess Persephone to the darkness of the underworld and being reunited with her husband Hades, took place with the fall equinox. During “Higan”, Japanese Buddhists pay respects to their dead ancestors.
To Latvians Jumis, the pagan god of harvest and fertility, was celebrated during the autumn equinox in September, also receiving souls. After Christianity, it was St. Michael who was celebrated on October 1, but to both Latvians and Finish “Mikeli”, was probably a nature spirit, signifying the time to stop farm work and recognize winter. Latvians also believed all the spirits of the dead wandered on the earth during fall, called Velu Laiks or “time of the dead” honouring the deceased, followed by Ledus Likes, when it was safe to walk on ice.
Fins and Estonians celebrated “Martini” on November 10th. Now honouring Martin Luther, the holiday itself is way older. Celebrations included parades amongst other things, where people dressed up as spirits, customs also followed in other countries like Austria, Germany, Finland, Holland, and Sweden.
The Gaelic/Celtic custom of “Samhain”, usually from October 31 to November 1, celebrated the harvest and recognized the coming of “the dark half of the year”, or winter. Most of us here in North America commonly see it as the origin of what we now celebrate as Halloween. October 31st was when the veil between the dead and living parted and the spirits of those who died returned. Hilltop bonfires, “bone fires” made of animal bones, were also lit to scare away evil spirits according to Druidic (Celtic clergy) customs with ritual offerings appeasing the dead. Home hearths were relit from this sacred fire as protection from the winter ahead. Disguises or masks were worn to avoid the ghosts, witches, demons and other such beings associated with the day. Conquering Romans added their own “Feralia” honouring dead and “Pomona”, goddess of harvest. From Pomona we get the tradition of bobbing for apples! Apples and nuts were important, as they represented the winter fruits to be stored.
The Irish custom of hollowed turnips with carved faces and a candle inside, or “jack-o’-lanterns”, comes from their folktale of Stingy Jack, a drunk con man. Having fooled the devil, but due to sins not entering heaven, he roamed the world with a small turnip lantern and a red-hot ember from hell as a light. On All Hallows’ Eve folks went “souling” into the night protected from spirits like Stingy Jack, asking for sweet “soul cakes” in return for a prayer. “Spooky” comes from “Puca”, an Irish spirit.
Christian Influence
By the eighth century, Pope Gregory III moved the custom of honouring of the saints from May to October replacing pre-Christian holidays.
In Christianity, the holiday has become the beginning of Allhallotide, “hallow” meaning “holy”. This is a three-day Christian event which remembers the dead. It starts with Halloween, followed by All Saints’ Day (November 1) and All Souls’ Day (November 2). The very name “Halloween” comes from All-Hallows Eve. Hallowe’en is a contraction of All Hallows’ Evening, and is often spelt that way outside of the USA.
In some countries like Poland, All Saints Day is an important event, and means going to the cemetery with flowers (usually mums) and candles for graves to pay respects to the deceased, and sharing meals with family members. Once visiting France in the fall, I committed the faux pas of giving my hostess a nice pot of mums when I left, only to be politely informed they are flowers for mourning there!
In Mexico on the other hand, over the same three days Indigenous and Catholic colonizers customs have mixed to create Giorno dei Morti. The “Day of the Dead” honours the deceased, and faces the eventuality of death without fear.
Our Modern Halloween
Begging for money or treats, while threatening vandalism if refused, actually came from the British celebration of Guy Fawkes Day on November 5, where Catholic homes were originally vandalized by Protestants, after Fawke’s unsuccessful attempt to blow up the Protestant parliament. It was the only holiday Puritans celebrated until the American Revolution, but afterwards the custom of vandalizing anyone’s property still remained.
The Irish, Scottish and British customs were brought to North America with immigration. Starting in the mid 1800’s Irish and Scots arrived. Pumpkins were easier carved than turnips. First recorded disguises on Halloween were in 1898 in Vancouver, British Columbia and the first known use of “trick or treat” and costumed children going door to door was in 1927 in Lethbridge, Alberta. The custom of parties, parades and such, was established by a Kansas woman in 1913-1914 as a community effort to distract from the destruction on “mischief night” around October 31, still a serious problem then. Somehow this all transformed into the holiday we know today.
From there the holiday has spread world-wide and to all age groups. It is, commercially, the second most successful holiday after Christmas!
WRITTEN BY: DIANA JANOSIK-WRONSKI
