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.

Scholars actually know very little about ‘Samhain.’ These ancient Celtic rituals are rife with beliefs, and the festivals and celebrations tie into these beliefs. ‘Samhain’ can be the beginning of the Celtic year, when farmers brought their livestock in from the fields. Shelters were built for winter and new laws passed at this time. Bonfires and feasting were rampant and individuals burned offerings of fruit, vegetation and animals for blessings from the gods.

‘Samhain’ was a time of transitioning when battles were fought and fairies cast spells. The natural world and supernatural world intermingled and the Celts believed the dead walked among the living. Visits from the dead occurred according to Celtic lore, and scholarly individuals believe these were the roots of Halloween.

‘All Saints’ and ‘All Souls’ Days date back to pagan customs, when Celts survived Christianity. In the early 800s, November 1 became ‘All Saints Day’, and 200 years later, ‘All Souls Day’ was added. Prayers for family and friends that were deceased became common, and lanterns burned for ancestors and food was placed out for the dead. Different regions of Europe had different customs and people of Wales put white stones near Halloween fires, to see if the stones moved at night, suggesting that individuals would then live another year.

Halloween in the United Kingdom and Ireland is a family tradition. Cabbages, apples, potatoes and nuts as well as oats are celebratory foods. England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland still host games, wear disguises, and use trickery in celebrations, but children are now encouraged towards politeness by saying, “Anything for Halloween” rather than “Trick or Treat!” Fireworks are also prevalent in Canada and Ireland.

Deceased loved ones graves are visited in Europe, on All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, interspersed with the frivolous activities. European cities have large celebrations as do Australia and New Zealand and Halloween parties abound to cater to tourists.

Halloween is not accepted everywhere, however. China remains suspicious of the frivolity, and in Mexico, Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) although celebrated with food and drink is not a traditional Halloween. Spanish Catholic beliefs here are combined with Native American traditions. Italy and Poland regard Halloween that does not relate to their cultures, and children don’t celebrate it often.

Foods are also associated with Halloween, and apples and nuts play a large part of lore. In one fortune telling game, peeling an apple by a young woman and throwing it over her shoulder, would land the peel in the shape of the person’s soon to be betrothed. These connections to apples and nuts are ancient and Nutcrack Night and Snap Apple night are noted. Tarot cards and palm readings have replaced these now.

‘Mischief Night’ is the name given to the night before Halloween. Soaping windows and winding toilet tissue around trees are common ‘mischiefs.’ Because mischief can spiral out of control many communities now ban this type of behavior.

Halloween has many symbols. Witches and black cats have their roots in European beliefs of the 1500s and 1600s when people thought witches and cats rode through the night on Halloween. Superstitions also included fairies and ghosts and pleas for help to these entities became popular. Lanterns with grotesque faces were used to scare off malicious spirits. The Scots lit bonfires to discourage evil spirits. This led to remembrances of the dead by bonfires on All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. Bonfires are no longer as common but have been replaced by Jack-o-Lanterns. Ghosts, goblins and witches still remain as symbols.

Halloween costumes have a long history starting with adults in times gone by. In parts of Ireland, a man holding a horse’s head and wearing a white robe led groups, and in parts of Scotland, beggars known as ‘skeklets’ came out. Wales saw a great deal of cross-dressing of boys and girls who then sang rhymes.

By the late 1800s in the United States, adults began celebrating Halloween and dressing up. However, by the 1900s, children primarily engaged in Halloween costuming. The first costumes were usually Fairies, Gypsies and Burglars. The 1950s saw the first factory made costumes, with movies and television lending itself to the themes. Store-bought costumes are now the ideal in many areas.

Jack-o-Lanterns are usually hallowed out pumpkins with faces cut into them with a candle or light inside. Beets or turnips were used initially in Scotland and Ireland. Christian purgatory is represented by Jack-o-Lanterns, as they represent spirits present in the dark, or souls released from purgatory.

Named after a symbolic individual, Jack, who could not enter heaven because of his trickery with the devil, Jack is said to have walked the earth with his lantern lit by a coal from hell.

The rituals and celebrations of Halloween were developed in Europe around fortune telling. The Irish believed that a coin, a ring, and a thimble if baked into cake or other foods would make the finder of the coin wealthy, the finder of the ring, marriageable, and the finder of the thimble, a person that would never marry.