Halloween History
Halloween has its origins in two ancient celebrations, the
Christian holy day of All Saints and the Celtic festival of
Samhain. Celebrated on October 31, Halloween is today
largely a secular holiday. Fleeing the great potato famine
of 1846, Irish immigrants brought versions of the traditional
celebration with them to America. Here they took root and
grew into an American tradition that is still active and
growing today.
The symbols of Halloween are jack-o-lanterns, witches,
skeletons black cats, bonfires, ghosts and costume parties.
These harvest season symbols derive from the Celtic belief
that October 31 was the end of the old year and the beginning
of the new; a time when the boundary separating the dead
from the living was thinnest. In Celtic lore this was the most
dangerous time of year because the dead could cross the
separating boundary and create grievous mischief and
potential harm.
Our modern day celebrations of Halloween and the collectibles
and costumes that commemorate it derive from the symbols
that previous cultures associated with the holiday. The associations
with the dead, evil and horror clearly derive from the Celtic traditions
and beliefs and fear associated with the Sabbat of Samhain. This is
likewise the case for bonfires, ghosts, witches, and their associated
black cats and skeletons which the Celts placed upon their windowsills.
Spectacular collections of Halloween collectibles can be assembled
and displayed. Consisting of paper lanterns, bobble-heads, pressed
cardboard flats, candy containers, masks, noisemakers, plastic figures,
and other fascinating forms they are easily displayed in a small space
and are very colorful. Notable collections abound and there several
really excellent books available.
