Halloween Celebrations, Past and Present

Answer 1

People have a fascination with horror and the occult that never seems to expire. Westerns and musicals went out of style, but vampire and zombie movies remain popular each decade. It's no wonder that so many people celebrate Halloween, a holiday with roots in Celtic tradition.

In the distant past, Celtic people marked Halloween as Samhain Eve. It was the night before winter began on November 1st. People believed that spirits could move between the worlds of the living and the dead on Samhain Eve, according to Penn State University.

This gave witches greater powers and made elves more active than usual. To appear dead, Scottish teenagers wore masks or blackened their faces. Welsh people put food outside their homes for ghosts to eat, and turnips were carved into jack-o-lanterns. Some people also played pranks.

Today's Halloween traditions prove somewhat different. People attend costume parties, visit haunted houses and carve pumpkins. They also decorate their homes, bake cookies and enjoy haunted train rides. Various organizations hold pumpkin-carving contests in many towns and cities.

Meanwhile, children put on costumes and go trick-or-treating. They carry flashlights and buckets or bags to fill with candy. Homeowners switch on their porch lights and display pumpkins to show that they have candy to give out. Most trick-or-treating usually ends by 9 o'clock.

If they aren't busy handing out treats, some people watch horror movies at home or in theaters. Films like "Horror Hotel" and "The Lost Boys" can make the holiday more exciting and fun. Some radio stations in North America broadcast old Halloween radio dramas.

Primarily, people observe this holiday in Canada, Great Britain and the United States. Some smaller celebrations are held in parts of Australia, France and other countries on October 31st. One day later, Mexico observes a similar holiday known as the Day of the Dead.

Like most holidays, Halloween requires some preparation. In the days leading up to October 31st, many people buy costumes, flashlights, candy, pumpkins and decorations. Others rent movies or buy theater tickets. For most people, it is not considered a very expensive holiday.

In summary, there is something for almost everyone to enjoy on Halloween. Some people find holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas stressful, but Halloween is generally a fun and carefree day. It also provides an opportunity to ponder the things we cannot explain.