Origins of Halloween
Halloween was originally called Samhain.
It was a Pagan festival among the Celts of Ireland and the British, Irish and Scottish immigrants carried versions of the tradition to North America in the 19th century.
Other western countries took up the holiday in the twentieth century.
According to Celtic belief, the bright half of the year ended around November 1st or at the time of the first frost. That day is referred to as Samhain or “end of summer”. As the Roman calendar was adopted, the date began to be celebrated independently of the Moon’s phases.
As October 31st is the last day of the bright half of the year, the next day is associated with the beginning of winter and is associated with death or the slaughter of livestock for winter meat.
The Celts believed that October 31st, the separation from the living and the dead became blurred and the residence of the dead or spirits was accessible through burial mounds. The mounds were opened twice per year-on Samhain and on Beltane, the beginning of summer.