How Did Halloween Begin?
Ever wondered where Halloween came from and why it's celebrated on October 31st? The roots of Halloween go back thousands of years to a Celtic tradition called Samhain.
This ancient festival marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of the dark half of the year. People once believed that during this time, evil spirits would steal the sunlight, making days colder and nights longer.
To protect themselves from darkness and supernatural creatures, the Celts in present-day Britain and France held massive bonfires and dressed in animal skins to disguise their identity. October 31st, the eve of Samhain, was thought to be when the boundary between the world of the living and the dead was weakest.
On this night, devils, witches, and goblins were believed to wander freely, causing mischief — stealing livestock, flipping carts, and playing tricks on villagers.
To scare off these spirits, people burned huge fires and wore costumes made from fur and skulls. This tradition is seen as one of the earliest forms of Halloween dress-up.
Later, as the Roman Empire expanded, Samhain merged with the festival of Feralia, where Romans honored the dead. By the 7th century, Christianity influenced the practice further. The church created All Saints' Day on November 1 to replace pagan traditions.
The night before was called “All Hallows’ Eve” – which gradually became Hallowe'en, and then simply Halloween.