Discover the history of how the most popular tradition of 'Halloween' or Night of the Witches originated, each custom or action performed in a celebration has some strange origin. What is this one?
In the following paragraphs we will tell you the history and emergence of this strange request as a celebration of Halloween.
History and origin of Halloween
Halloween or Night of the Witches is celebrated every October 31st, but where does this celebration come from? It is a pagan holiday; it originated in Celtic culture and has been celebrated for over 3,000 years under the name of the end of the harvest season or also known as 'Celtic New Year' or 'Samhain'.
On the other hand, it took the name Halloween after Pope Gregory III changed the 'Feast of All Saints' that was originally celebrated on May 13th to November 1st. After the invasion of the Romans and eventually the emergence of Christianity, many of the customs of the Celts or pagan cultures were eradicated, labeled as heresy, or changed to a similar and accepted version.
That is how 'All Saints' Day' is celebrated, however; the preparation for it began on the eve of November 1st, that is, October 31st. As this date became globalized, this vigil was popularly called by the English culture as "All Hallow's Eve", a term that eventually transformed into Halloween and took much of the pagan celebration.
This custom also originates in Celtic culture and part of Mexican history also explains it. The Celts defined the celebration of October 31st as a communion with the spirits, who for the only date were allowed to wander the Earth.
Due to this and with the purpose of keeping the spirits happy and warding off the bad ones, homes would leave food outside. Finally, costumes, the request for sweets which derived from food, and of course the famous "trick or treat" or translated into Spanish '¿dulce o truco?' or '¿dulce o travesura?'.
Why do children ask for sweets every October 31st?
This custom also originates in Celtic culture and part of Mexican history also explains it. The Celts defined the celebration of October 31st as a communion with the spirits, who for the only date were allowed to wander the Earth.
Due to this and with the purpose of keeping the spirits happy and warding off the bad ones, homes would leave food outside. Finally, costumes, the request for sweets which derived from food, and of course the famous "trick or treat" or translated into Spanish '¿dulce o truco?' or '¿dulce o travesura?'.