The Magic Of Halloween - Part 1

Halloween or Holloween is a holiday celebrated on the night of October 31 in most countries. Irish immigrants carried versions of the Halloween tradition to North America in the nineteenth century. Other coutries followed suit in the twentieth century. It is generally thought that the holiday originated from a Irish holiday known as Samhain, which was celebrated in Ireland and Scotland during harvest time for many many years. The time of year when harvesting was completed and animals were brought from summer pastures to shelter for the winter months was known as Samhain. Fruits, vegetables, grain, and animals, were burnt as gifts to the Gods in big bonfires during Samhain. This was done in the hope of a successful new year. The general belief was that on the Samhain night, dead people could appear on earth and the alive people were able to question the dead about the upcoming year. Some of these spirits were thought as evil and hence people started wearing scary costumes with animal heads to frighten the spirits. They protected themselves in this way.

Samhain is also known as Celtic New Year. November 1st is known as All Saints Day or by the other name - All Hallow's Day. Hallow refers to sainted ones. All Saint's Day is there to celebrate the saints and martyrs of Christian faith. This day was celebrated to diminish the importance of the Celtic rituals and the influence of the druids. Hence the day - 31st october - became known as All Hallow's Eve, or Halloween. The carved pumpkin lit by a candle inside, is one of the most prominent symbols in America for Halloween. It is commonly called a jack-o-lantern.

Common Halloween activities include watching horror movies, visiting haunted houses, trick-or-treating, carving pumpkins, wearing costumes, lighting bonfires, costume parties, reading scary stories and similar activities.

Trick Or Treat - Halloween Tradition

Trick or Treat is a Halloween custom. It is the quote said by children who call on houses to solicit gifts at Halloween. In North America, England and Ireland, kids go round to people's houses on Halloween night which falls on october 31st, dressed in some kind of scary costumes, and challenge the inhabitants of the homes with the cry, Trick or Treat? The houseowner then chooses between a trick - where the kids play some prank or practical joke on them - or treat where the houseowner treats the children with sweets or candy or similar halloween treat stuff. The houseowners usually stock up on halloween treats before hand. With increased Tv penetration and exposure, the halloween customs have spread across other parts of Europe and Asia too. In some places, the night associated with trick or treat is also known as beggars night.

The practice of dressing up in costumes and going from one door to other asking for treats on Halloween goes back to many years. Trick-or-treating is similar to the medieval practice of souling, when poor people would go from door to door, receiving food to eat in return for prayers for the dead on All Souls Day. This tradition originated in Ireland and England and the poor people were called soulers.