Halloween is a night reserved for dressing up, gathering goodies, bobbing for apples, and, of course, trick-or-treating. On the 31st of October, children, and sometimes adults, dress in creative costumes to roam the streets for a few hours, joining the festivities and enjoying an evening of ghoulish camaraderie.
The Pagan Origins of Halloween
Halloween is technically a celebration of the evening before All Saints’ Day. According to old European tradition, this is the night when spirits are most likely to make contact with the living, and magic is at its most powerful. The Pagan roots of this holiday have turned the tradition into a political and spiritual debate, with some devout Christian communities attempting to abolish the holiday because of its origins.
Pagan celebrations have nothing to do with the devil or the worshipping of evil. Paganism is a religion that follows the natural rhythms of the world, and though it can seem mysterious to those who don’t understand it, it is far from dangerous. It is also not associated with Satanism, which worships the theories and practices of the Devil. Paganism, on the other hand, connects with nature and the natural world’s cycles. Despite the similarity in names, the two belief systems are quite different.
Despite resistance to this long-practiced holiday in some places, Halloween is rapidly gaining popularity worldwide, with each country adding its own cultural twists. Ireland, Peru, the United Kingdom, and Canada are all joining in the celebrations, and New Zealand and Australia are quickly following suit.
In Ireland, adults and children alike dress as the scary creatures they wish to avoid, such as ghosts, goblins, witches, and monsters. The celebration marks the end of summer with a grand bonfire, and despite fireworks being mostly illegal, a stunning display is still common.
Children in Ireland are given a week-long holiday from school for Halloween, unlike American children, who attend school all week, including the day of. Apple bobbing, cakes with tokens baked inside, pumpkin and turnip carving with candles for decoration, and weeklong festivities are central to Halloween traditions in Ireland.
Scottish children share most of the same Halloween customs as their Irish neighbors, though they focus on scaring away evil fairies with their costumes and turnip carvings. One of the most popular games is hanging an apple from a string and challenging children to eat it without using their hands.
In Australia and New Zealand, Halloween is gradually gaining popularity. Originally seen as a “nonsensical Americanism,” Irish settlers are introducing the holiday’s meaning and traditions to local communities. Some Australians embrace the idea, while others view it as an American influence spreading through media. Those few youths who do participate in trick-or-treating often do so with the intent to egg houses that don’t participate or to vandalize churches and schools. It seems some information has spread, but not always in the right way.
The Caribbean islands are also starting to join in the celebration, though Halloween is still not widely observed. Every year, the region sees about a three percent increase in participation.
Many regions view Halloween as part of North American pop culture, despite its Irish roots. In America, Halloween continues to be a beloved tradition. Dressing up to ward off evil spirits, whether real or imagined, provides a fun and reasonable way to face the fears associated with the uncontrollable evils of the world. This is, after all, the essence of Halloween.
Though Halloween customs are slowly fading in the United States, there may be another surge in popularity due to the growing educational impact of multimedia. Those who learn about the true roots of Halloween, the spirit of Paganism, and the holiday’s deeper meaning often find themselves eager to celebrate it. As the internet continues to provide easy access to information, it’s only a matter of time before the value of self-education makes it simpler and more accurate than ever before.
