An annual celebration, Halloween has been called demon worship, as its roots are pagan. The word itself has its roots in the Catholic Church, and it’s a contraction of ‘All Hallows Eve’.

In the fifth Century, Celts in Ireland officially ended summer, with ‘Samhain’, the Celtic New Year. Fresh living bodies were said to be occupied by the dead at this time, as their hope for the afterlife. Celtic beliefs that laws of space and time were muted, and the spirit world came into the living world.

The living of course, did not want to be possessed, so the rituals of Halloween were initiated to prevent this. Fires were extinguished to make homes uninviting, and noisy parades drove off spirits. A Druidick fire was kept buring at Usinach, from which others then lit their fires again.

Burning at the stake of those thought to be possessed is one myth, as a lesson to the spirit world. Romans adopted Celtic practices, and ‘Samhain’ was incorporated into Roman traditions. Honoring Pomona, the Roman Goddess of fruit and trees is one of these, and bobbing for apples sprang from this.

Ritualized celebrations became common, and dressing up in costume became prevalent. Irish immigrants in the 1840s that fled the potato famine brought trickery with them, and the 9th Century custom of ‘souling.’ Begging for ‘soul cakes’ by beggars would result in prayers for the dead, as the dead were said to be in limbo until enough prayers were said.

Irish folklore is probably responsible for the Jack-o-Lantern, as a drunkard named Jack was suspended from both heaven and hell for tricking the devil. He traveled through time with a lantern in his hand made from a coal from hell. Jack captured the devil in a tree and refused to let him down bringing the wrath of both God and the devil on himself. Jack’s lantern was undoubtedly a turnip, but was replaced in tradition by the more attainable pumpkin.

Halloween is not an evil practice, but rather a cultural holiday that is enjoyable for merriment overall. Even churches today have Halloween parties, and events for children.

In the United States, American settlers brought their own beliefs about witches and ghosts. Irish and Scottish immigrants in the 1800s as well as Germans brought lore and costumes of their own, and voodoo beliefs came with Haitian and African peoples. The United States had a variety of beliefs that were regional by the end of the 1800s.

New Hampshire had barn dances, and New York City had parades and firecrackers. North Carolinians believed that the wind carried whispers of the future, and in Louisiana, cooking a supper eaten without speaking was common.

Large community celebrations became common the in 1900s, and adults joined in the fun more. Trick or treating became really popular in the 1940s and 1950s, with Halloween becoming more commercial each year. Now, even wearing a costume on the job is common, and large cities have large nightclub and party celebrations. Amusement parks are rife with celebrations, and private and civic organizations use the holiday as a springboard to raise money for charitable causes.