Origins of Halloween

The pagan origins of Halloween are so palpable that there is little wonder the holiday has generated considerable controversy over the centuries. Falling on October 31, Halloween history tells us that this celebration is only the herald of the holiday that medieval Christian Europeans were intended to celebrate -- All Saints' Day, November 1.

And thus the story behind the term itself, which is short for "the eve before All Hallows' Day," the latter referring to the fact that saints of Christianity were "hallowed" individuals. It is thought that the Church decided All Saints' Day should fall on November 1 to make it coincide with its precursor, a Celtic festival of the harvest. By "overwriting" the pagan origins of Halloween, perhaps the new religion could steal some thunder from the lingering Celtic influence in Europe.

Pagan Origins of Halloween Not So Easily Silenced

But if this was the Church's intention, the strategy backfired to some degree. Drawing on Celtic traditions, people evinced much more interest in honoring dead ancestors than in honoring dead Christian saints. To curb this un-Christian tendency, the Church instituted another holiday to promote Christianity -- All Souls' Day, November 2. On All Souls' Day the people were encouraged to pray for the souls in purgatory.

All Saints' Day was instituted as a holiday in the year A.D. 609 (initially celebrated in May, it was moved to the November 1 date in A.D. 834). Prior to that, a study of the pagan origins of Halloween reveals that the Celts had celebrated "Samhain" at this time of year. The Celts inhabited large portions of Western Europe throughout ancient times. They are perhaps most widely recognized for having been the people Julius Caesar fought in what is now France in his famous Gallic Wars (58-50 B.C.).

Despite this ancient French connection, it is only very recently that France has begun to write any pages for itself in Halloween history. But now the French do celebrate the spooky holiday, replete with the delights derived from dressing up in scary or bizarre costumes. About's French Language Guide, Laura K. Lawless, informs us about the Halloween history in France.

In the modern celebration of Halloween in the U.S., most people essentially enjoy the aspects of the holiday that derive from pagan origins of Halloween, albeit with a secular mindset. Some die-hards of Christianity, however, still vehemently oppose the holiday, harking back to the controversies of medieval times. Nonetheless, the holiday celebrated by the great majority of people today is one of our most fun holidays. It has nothing to do with nationhood and has lost its religious signifance for most people. We celebrate it simply because it is enjoyable to do so. Modern Halloween history has become remarkably tame, belying its controversial history.

For lovers of fall foliage and the bounty of the garden harvest, decorating the yard during this season holds an earthy pleasure that no other holiday can match. And in northern climes it is the last holiday of the year graced by live plants in the garden. Thus on Page 2 we move from the pagan origins of Halloween to outdoor decorations for fall....