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The Actual History of Halloween                                                                                    3














































          What's the Actual History                      was eventually shortened to "Halloween," which evolved into more lighthearted fun and games.
                                                         we know and love to this day.                   For example, the somewhat heavy concept of
            of Halloween—and Why                                 The pagan and Christian occasions connecting to the dead was replaced with the
                                                         hadn't always been back to back, though. Up more lighthearted idea of telling the future.
             Do We Celebrate It on                       until the 7th century CE, All Hallow's Eve fell Apple bobbing, for example, became popular as

                      October 31?                        actually on May 13. Perhaps in an attempt to a fortune-telling game on  All Hallows' Eve:
                                                         offset the occasion with a religious celebration, Apples would be selected to represent all of a
                                                         Pope Boniface IV ultimately made the call to woman's suitors, and the guy—er, apple—she
             It's a longer story than you                change the observance to its current November ended up biting into would supposedly represent
                                                         1 date.                                         her future husband. In fact, Halloween
                        might think.
                                                                                                         previously posed a huge (albeit rather
                                                         Why Do  We Celebrate Halloween on               superstitious) matchmaking opportunity for
           By Blair Donovan and Marissa Gold             October 31?                                     young women in the 19th century.
                                                                                                                Another popular All Hallows' Eve ritual
          It's here, it's here! (No, not pumpkin spice latte  Halloween falls on October 31 because the  was mirror-gazing, as people hoped to catch a
          season—though we're glad about that as well.)  ancient Gaelic festival of Samhain, considered  vision of their future by looking into the mirror.
          Halloween has officially crept up on us, and   the earliest known root of Halloween, occurred  There are also reports of fortune-cookie-like
          there’s so much to look forward to, from       on this day. It marked a pivotal time of year   favors being given out during earlier times.
          brainstorming our costumes to carving jack-o'-  when seasons changed, but (more importantly)   People wrote messages on pieces of paper in
          lanterns with the kids and, of course, eating  observers also believed the boundary between    milk, and the notes were then folded and placed
          unfathomable amounts of treats, candy, and     this world and the next became especially thin at  into walnut shells.  The shells would then be
          chocolate.                                     this time, enabling them to connect with the    heated over a fire, causing the milk to brown just
                                                         dead.  This belief is shared by some other      enough for the message to mystically appear on
          No matter how old you are or how many times    cultures; a similar idea is mentioned around the  the paper for the recipient.
          you've been around the block, the holiday      Jewish holiday of  Yom Kippur, which also
          simply never gets old.  The littlest ones get a  typically occurs in October and involves saying  History of Halloween Costumes and
          chance to dress up and go trick-or-treating, and  prayers for the dead.  This is also where Trick-or-Treating
          parents have an excuse to sip on a boo-zy      Halloween gains its "haunted" connotations.
          Halloween cocktail.                                                                            Many people were said to dress up as saints and
                 But in the midst of the parties and games  The History of Halloween Activities          recite songs or verses from door to door.
          and sugar rushes, have you ever stopped to                                                     Children would also go from door to door asking
          wonder what the history of Halloween even is in                                                for "soul cakes," a treat similar to biscuits.
                                                         The early pagan holiday of Samhain involved a
          the first place?
                                                         lot of ritualistic ceremonies to connect to spirits,  Technical note: Soul Cakes originated as part of
                 Here, we're sharing Halloween's origin
                                                         as the Celts were polytheistic. While there isn't a  the All Souls' Day holiday on November 2nd
          (and Halloween's meaning too) in the hopes that  lot of detail known about these celebrations,  (Yep, a third holiday!), but eventually became a
          it'll make your celebrations even more,        many believe the Celts celebrated in costume    part of Halloween night as the concept evolved
          er...meaningful.  After all, this old-fashioned                                                into trick-or-treating.  The candy-grabbing
                                                         (granted, they were likely as simple as animal
          holiday actually dates back many, many years.                                                  concept also became mainstream in the U.S. in
                                                         hides) as a disguise against ghosts, enjoyed
          It's a lot older than you might think! And as for                                              the early to mid-1900s, during which families
                                                         special feasts, and made lanterns by hollowing
          the witches and wizards that you've come to                                                    would provide treats to children in hopes that
                                                         out gourds (hence, the history of jack-o'-
          associate with it? Yeah, they're part of the story                                             they would be immune to any holiday pranks.
                                                         lanterns). Over time, as Christianity took over
          too! Here's the true tale of how Halloween
                                                         and the pagan undertones of the holiday were           As for the costumes, they evolved too.
          officially came to be.                         lessened, the basic traditions of the holiday   While they began as earnest tributes to saints,
                 You already know that Halloween takes   remained a part of pop culture every year, they  that tradition likely fell out of favor at some
          place on the last day of October, but here's   simply evolved and modernized.                  point…until young Scottish and Irish pranksters
          something you might not know: The word itself                                                  got the idea to dress up in scary-looking garb
                                                                 The mystical rituals of earlier times
          literally means "hallowed evening," and was                                                    again as a way to spook unsuspecting neighbors.
          previously known to early European celebrators        The world of the Paranormal              And just like that, thanks to these local
          as All Hallows' Eve. All Hallows' Eve (October                  24 / 7 / 365                   hooligans, Halloween costumes became scary,
          31) and All Saints' Day (November 1) both paid     The ‘X’ Zone Broadcast Network              spooky, funny, and creative all at the same time.
          homage to saints ("hallows" = saints). The name               www.xzbn.net                     []
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