1/21/2024 0 Comments Halloween return library books![]() In 1820, Washington Irving’s short story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, became one of the first distinctly American ghost stories centered around the holiday. People originally carved out turnips and placed candles inside to ward off evil spirits, but Americans switched from turnips to pumpkins. While Halloween originated in Europe, the holiday became the celebration we recognize today when it was brought to America by the early settlers. While Halloween focuses on the dark and grim aspects of death, Dia de Muertos is a celebration of the connection between the living and the dead, as well as life after death. Dia de Los Muertos, a completely separate celebration that occurs during the same timeframe, October 31 to November 2. All Saints' Day later became known as All Hallows' Day, and the previous day, October 31, became known as All Hallows' Eve, then later, Halloween.ĭespite the best efforts of the church, people still continued to celebrate Halloween with traditional bonfires, costumes, treats, and a focus on spirits of the dead.Īll this history is not meant to confuse Halloween and its Mexican cousin, Dia de Muertos, a.k.a. Pope Gregory III deemed November 1, All Saints' Day, a celebration of Christian martyrs and saints, and November 2 became All Souls Day, a day for remembering the souls of the dead. Traditionally, a bonfire would be lit, sweets would be prepared, and costumes would be worn to ward off evil spirits as the ancient Celts believed that, at this time of year, the veil separating the worlds of the living and the dead was at its thinnest.Įarly Christian officials tried to impose their own holiday in an effort to stop their converts from practicing non-Christian festivals. This would usually take place around November 1. It developed from the ancient Celtic ritual of Samhain, which was, in the simplest terms, a festival celebrating the changing of the seasons from light to dark (summer to winter). ![]() All Hallows' Eve, or Halloween as it is commonly referred, is a global celebration on October 31.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |