Learn about the history of Halloween throughout the years

1. Halloween
Origins and Traditions

2. Origins
• Halloween began 2000 years ago in
Ireland, England, and Northern France
• Started with the ancient religion of the
Celts (Paganism).

3. Halloween
• They celebrated their New Year on
November 1st
• This day marked the beginning of the
dark, cold winter
• a time of year that was often
associated with human death.

4. Samhain (sow-in)
• On the night of October 31, they
celebrated Samhain
• They believed that the ghosts of the
dead returned to earth.

5. Costumes
• People thought that they would
encounter ghosts if they left their homes

6. Costumes
• People would wear costumes
• This way, the ghosts couldn’t recognize
them!

7. All Saints Day
• In the 600’s the Pope introduced All
Saints' Day
• This day was to honor saints and
martyrs
• He made the day on May 13th

8. A change of date
• In 834, the Pope moved All Saint's Day
from May 13th to Nov. 1st. Oct. 31st
• Now, the day before All Saint’s Day
(October 31st) was called All Hallows'
Eve
• ('hallow' means 'saint').

9. All Souls Day
• November 2nd, called All Souls Day, is
the day set apart in the Catholic Church
to remember the dead.

10. Trick-or-Treating
• Trick-or-Treating began with the poor in
the 1400s
• Poor people would beg for square
pieces of bread with raisins
• Families would give the cakes in return
for a promise to pray for the family’s
relatives

11. then children…
• Children would go to their neighbors to
ask for drinks, food, and money.

12. Today:
• Children still go from house-to-house,
but instead of drinks, food, and money,
they get candy.

13. Jack-o-Lanterns

14. The Jack-O-Lantern
• New Canadians, from Ireland used to
carry turnips with candles in them to
light their way at night and to scare
away ghosts..

15. Turnips or Pumpkins?
• When they came to Canada they found
that there were a lot of pumpkins and
they were easier to carve than turnips.

16. Decorations
• Now, Jack-O-Lanterns are used for
decorating people’s homes.

17. Today people go to parties…

18. Take their kids trick-or-treating.…

19. And eat lots of candy!

20. The End
Happy Halloween!