2. The Origins of Halloween
Halloween has its
origins in the ancient
Celtic.
October 31th was the
daythey celebrated the end
of the harvest season in a
festival called Samhain
(pronounced sah-win”)
Signifies the end of the summer which also meant
the end of the year for them as they thought that the
1st
of November was New Years Day
3. The Origins of Halloween
The Celts believed that on this night, all of
the ghosts and spirits left “the world of the
dead” and entered into “the world of the
living”
On Samhain the villagers made huge
bonefires to drive the dead back to the spirit
world and keep them away from the living.
In the 800s, the Pope replaced the festival of
Samhain with All Saints Day, then the night
before october 31th was All-Hallows Eve,
which was later changed into Halloween
Hallow means Holly or Sainted.
4. Halloween in America
Irish and Scottish immigrants carried versions of
the tradition to North America in the nineteenth
century. Other western countries embraced the
holiday in the late twentieth century including
Ireland, the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and
the United Kingdom as well as Australia and New
Zealand.
5. Halloween Traditions
1. Bobbing for apples
What is it?
Game usually played at Halloween
Was started in the British Isles
A large tub of water with apples in it
floating on the surface. Players must try to
catch one only using their mouth!!
Why is it play?
Because hundreds of years ago, people
thought that if you did it, then peeled the
apple in one piece and threw it over your
shoulder it would land in the shape of the
first letter of your true love’s name.
6. Halloween Traditions
2. Trick or Treating
What is it?
It is usually done at Halloween
Children go from door to door, knocking and saying “trick
or treat” in exchange for sweets or sometimes, money
Why do we do it?
It originates from Britain and Ireland
Dates back to the Middle Ages when poor
people used to go from door to door on
“Hallowmas” (November the 1st
) receiving
food in return for prayers for the dead on All
Souls Day.
7. Halloween Traditions
3. Jack-O-Lanterns
What are they?
Lanterns made from hollowed pumpkins with carved faces
Usually displayed at Halloween
Why do we make them?
An old Irish tradition because Irish people used to carry
turnips with candles inside them to light their way and also
to scare off any ghosts. It was changed to the well known
pumpkin by the Americans
People believe that if they are displayed at Halloween, any
evil spirits or ghosts will be scared off
8. Halloween Traditions
4. Fancy dress costumes
What is it?
People dress up in costumes to look like such things as
witches, the devil, skeletons, mummies, vampires etc.
Why do we dress up?
People thought that if they left their homes on this night,
they might meet ghosts and so they dressed up so that
they would not be recognised!
9. Halloween Traditions
5. Telling scary stories
Why do we do it?
The first Halloween celebrations in America included
play parties, public events held to celebrate the harvest,
where neighbours would share stories of the dead, tell
each other's fortunes, dance, and sing. Colonial Halloween
festivities also featured the telling of ghost stories and
mischief-making of all kinds.
10. How do we celebrate in
Puerto Rico?
Halloween has transformed, from being a cultural and
religious tradition, to a commercial and entertainment event.
This has also happened in the United States.
Children continue with the “trick-or-treat” tradition, in
Puerto Rico referred as “tricortrí”.
Teenagers and young adults attend to parties that include
shows of well known singers.
Others plan their own parties and enjoy Halloween with
friends.
