By: Alyssah Shear
One of the most admired holidays is Halloween. You can go Trick-or-Treating and transform into a different identity for a single night; however, some people don’t believe it should be a holiday.
The history of Halloween has faded into the background for most people,but some still celebrate for its true meaning.
Halloween dates back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (Sow-in). In Celtic culture, Halloween (which began in Gaelic Ireland) was not only on the last day of the Celtic calendar, but it marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the “dark season,” otherwise known as winter.
Today this holiday is known to be frightful and exciting, but there is a much stronger meaning behind it. Oct. 31 is a day to remember those who have passed away, including; martyrs, saints, and any faithful Christian believers. Halloween came from the holiday “All Hallows Eve” and is the day before “All Saints Day.” The idea of costumes came around during the mid 19th century when people disguised themselves and went door to door asking for food in exchange for prayers for the dead.
Although Halloween is not as largely celebrated worldwide as The Day Of The Dead, it is well known in many countries and is celebrated by many different groups of people. Singapore, Philippines, Japan, China, Germany, Ireland, Russia, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Scotland, and the United States are just a few of the countries that celebrate Halloween.
This holiday is celebrated in several different ways. In Ireland and the United States, Halloween is celebrated by dressing up. In Russia, however, children do not celebrate Halloween. Adults in Russia celebrate Halloween by dressing in scary or funny costumes and going to nightclubs that are decorated with carved pumpkins.
If you don’t know the history of Halloween, then it may not seem like a holiday, and for some people Halloween is just a day that you can receive free candy. For others Halloween is a day to sit around and celebrate the dead.
Although Halloween can be fun, we shouldn’t forget the true meaning of this widely celebrated holiday.
