Which is the origin of Halloween and its traditions?

October is an expected month for many people since Halloween is celebrated. The long-awaited day when little ones and adults of all ages dress up and go out on the street. It is a very known celebration that meets many people every 31st of October, but do you know where this tradition comes from and what is it celebrated? Stay, we will tell you!

The roots of Halloween

All Hollow’s Eve or its most known contraction ‘Halloween’, has its origins in the Celtic people. On October 31st the Celts celebrated the Samhain (Gaelic ‘the end of the summer”). The end of the harvest season, the beginning of a new year and all coincide with the end of October and the change of season. During this time, celts believed that the line between the living and the dead was narrowed, making it possible for the spirits to cross it.

Celebrations in Celtic villages

Celtic people used masks and costumes to ward off evil spirits, using fire for the rites performed. Later, his tradition was used to guide the spirits on their way. 

Expansion to the United States

This celebration arrived in the United States around 1840 through people who emigrated from Ireland to the United States. In 1921, it began to be celebrated in mass around the world. 

Jack O’Lantern

A story you must know when celebrating Halloween. It is about the protagonist of a legend based in Ireland. It is about the protagonist of a legend based in Ireland. Sting Jack, or Stingy Jack, was a cunning, hard-drinking, profiteering, black-souled person. Thus, the devil himself disguised as a man came to see him. After drinking with him, the devil told him that he had to take him away, but as none of them could pay for the drinks, Jack told him to turn himself into a coin so that he could also demonstrate his great powers. So it was, the devil turned into a coin and Jack put it in his pocket along with a silver crucifix. Jack offered to free the devil on the condition that he would give him a few more years to live. The devil accepted. 

Years later, the devil came back to take him away. Jack asked him to take an apple before dying. The devil took him into the forest, but Jack had carved crosses so that he could not escape. And again, he made him promise that if he released him his soul would never be touched by the devil. This way, Jack was able to go on with his life until finally one day he died. When he arrived at St. Peter's gates of heaven, St. Peter would not let him pass because of his behaviour in life. 

The devil, still angry with Jack,  threw burning embers at him. Jack used a turnip to catch them and used it as a lantern. Thus, he was condemned to wander the paths of good and evil. Alone and with a lantern. Jack became known as Jack of the Lantern and his abbreviation Jack O'Lantern. 

Over time, the turnip began to be changed to a pumpkin and thus the tradition of carving pumpkins and lighting them. 

‘Trick or Treat’

During the Halloween celebration, children call house to house’s bell asking for candies with the typical phrase 'Trick or treat? The real origin of this tradition is that spirits on October 31st could walk between life and death. Among them was Jack O'Lantern, who would go around the houses knocking on doors asking 'Trick or treat? It was best to make a deal with him so as not to fall for his trick, which was to curse the house and its inhabitants. 

After you have heard all these stories, ¡you will surely see Halloween with other eyes! Did you know the stories of Jack O’Lantern and ‘Trick or Treat’? Did the stories seem interesting to you? Let us know in the comments!