Halloween Traditions Revealed

Halloween is a time for putting on costumes and going door-to-door for candy, as well as a time of witches, ghosts, and goblins. Some conservative Christians debate whether or not we should celebrate it because many think people are celebrating evil things.

How did Halloween traditions start? Why do we dress up and knock on random peoples’ door for candy?

Halloween is rooted in Celtic, Catholic, and Ancient Roman traditions. October thirty-first marked the last day of the Celtic calendar.  For Celtics, Halloween was a day of celebration before winter, which brought the death of life and nature.

“Trick-or-treating” started in Great Britain and Ireland. Children or poor people would sing and say prayers for the dead in order to receive cake. Children disguised themselves when they went, which is called “guising.”

Why do people carve pumpkins every year?

There is an ancient story called Stingy Jack. Stingy Jack invited the Devil to come and have a drink with him. Jack did not want to pay for his drink, so he tried to tell the Devil to turn himself into a coin that Jack could use to pay for their drinks. The Devil did so, and Jack put the coin into his pocket next to a cross that would prevent the Devil from coming back to its original form. Eventually, Jack let the Devil go, as long as he would leave Jack alone for one year.

A year from then, Jack once again convinced the Devil to climb a tree to pick a piece of fruit. The Devil did so, and Jack carved a cross into the tree that would not let the Devil down.

Today, people carve pumpkins just because it is a tradition. The real reason behind it is to keep evil spirits like the Devil away. Stingy Jack is the reason people call them Jack-O-Lanterns.

“I like to get dressed up, and I still celebrate Halloween,” sophomore Ben Schucker said.

“I like decorating. My wife and I hand out popcorn and put bonus stickers on some bags. If you get a sticker, you get a piece of candy,” history teacher Mr. Weiss said.

“My favorite part of Halloween is the free candy. I dress up as ghetto as possible,” sophomore Hayley Martin said.