A Brief History of Halloween

Halloween, a timeless, early fall holiday, also known as All Hallows' Eve, has its origins in the largely forgotten ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. Samhain marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter in Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man.

During Samhain, the Celts believed that the boundary between the living and the dead was blurred, allowing spirits to roam the earth? To ward off these spirits, people lit bonfires and wore costumes, remind anyone of Halloween? When Christianity spread to these formerly Celtic lands, the church incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain into All Saints' Day, which was celebrated on November 1st. The evening before became known as All Hallows' Eve, eventually evolving into Halloween as we know it today.

Irish immigrants brought Halloween to North America in the 19th century, where it has since become a popular holiday with traditions such as trick-or-treating, carving pumpkins, and costume parties.

Sources:

https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2021/10/the-origins-of-halloween-traditions/

https://www.albany.edu/~dp1252/isp523/halloween.html