Is Halloween a Fun Holiday or a Pagan Ritual?

(Newswire.net — October 8, 2014) Sugar Land, TX — Historical records and newspaper accounts from the 1940’s and 1950’s show trick or treating door to door became popular in the US during this era. This custom had become firmly established in our culture by 1952.

 

The Celtics celebrated a “Halloween” holiday to mark the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. These celebrations often involved bonfires, which attracted insects that attracted bats. Thus the association of bats with Halloween. Costumes and masks were worn to either mimic or appease evil spirits. When trick or treating started in the early 1900’s, they used the term “Trick” as an implied threat to the homeowner, in an attempt to extort candy or “treats”  to eliminate the possibility of suffering a “trick.”

 

Today, attending Halloween costume parties, having bonfires, carving Jack-O-Lanterns and trick or treating is part of the fun of Halloween. Children’s costumes may be super heroes, princesses, cartoon characters, even ghosts. Adult Halloween costumes can be both fun and sexy!

 

Commercially, Halloween sales are second only to Christmas. And one forth of all candy sold in the US each year is for Halloween. And I bet you thought that Valentine’s Day was a big day for candy sales! Childrens costumes and candy continue to be best sellers, with adult costumes and Halloween decorations following close behind.

 

Around 800AD, Christianity came to the Celtic territories and a Pope replaced the existing, more evil and sinister Halloween with a more holier holiday. He called it “All Saints Day” and it was meant to honor all saints and martyrs. Later the name was changed to “All Hallows Eve” and eventually shortened to the name Halloween.

 

Today, people enjoy dressing up their pets in pet Halloween costumes. What Fun!

 

So what started as a pagan celebration has evolved into a fun day for children and adults.