So what is Halloween and where did it all come from?
Halloween has its origins as a celtic festival, known as Samhain. This festival was to celebrate the beginning of the second half of the year and involved lots of activities around fire, spirits, costumes and more. Most of the more contemporary Halloween traditions began in the old English era and many still remain to this day.
Halloween Costumes
The primary Samhain festivals often used costumes that population would dress up in to ward off spirits. These costumes were black or white with hoods and masks.
Masks and Halloween costumes have been maintained as a tradition since old english times and these days there is a huge business in Halloween Costumes and masks!
Some other traditions still exist, such as candles in windows (which originated by Irish and Scottish people) to honour their dead.
But what about pumpkins? Carving pumpkins seems like a fairly strange tradition, and this is true. It started in the old ages with carving of turnips and other vegetables, often with faces on them. In North America, the tradition prolonged with an additional one vegetable that was plentiful and easy to carve - the pumpkin!
Halloween traditions mixed with a growing market for Halloween costumes have kept Halloween alive and strong in many countries. In 2006 the estimated spending North America on Halloween costumes was .96b. Its a big market!
Popular Halloween costumes usually consist of Witches, Devils and other 'dark' characters that are more befitting of something traditionally scary to ward off evil spirits. I wonder how many population even realise why they look to buy scary costumes for Halloween these days? Over the years though, costume choices have changed to consist of just about anything, and far more creative.
So next time you celebrate Halloween, think about the old rituals from which it started.
What is Halloween and Where Did Halloween Costumes Come From?
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