Many of us today know Halloween to derive from our North American cousins, however, its origins steamed from far closer to home. Dating back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in) which began over 2,000 years ago, mostly in the area that is now Ireland. The United Kingdom and northern France also celebrated their new year on November 1 at the time.
During this time people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor all saints. Soon, All Saints Day incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before was known as All Hallows Eve, and later Halloween. Over time, Halloween evolved into a day of activities like trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, festive gatherings, donning costumes and eating treats.
While many would brand Halloween as a festival for children, we don’t believe in they should get to enjoy all the fun. Take a look at some of the Halloween activities we got up to across the country.
