By: Sutton Rizzo
1. Halloween’s roots come from modern-day Ireland. The Celtic people who inhabited the area 2,000 years ago celebrated a yearly festival of Samhain. The festival would take place the night of October 31; people would dress up in costumes to ward off ghosts!
2. Witches were not always seen as scary. The Celts did not view witchcraft as evil – in fact, the word “witch” can be traced back to “wicca” which means “wise one.”
3. Trick-or-treating has been around for centuries. In 1000 AD, it was decided that November 2 would be “All Souls’ Day” in England. To commemorate the occasion, children would partake in a practice known as “souling” where they would go door to door asking for gifts and treats.
4. Americans did not widely start trick-or-treating until the 1920s, when Halloween became more popular in the states. By the 1950s Halloween costumes had gone mainstream, and the holiday had become a big deal!
5. Halloween “tricks” used to be a real scare. The “trick” in trick-or-treat was no mistake – up until the early 20th century, Halloween pranks were common. Tricks would often involve tying door handles shut or opening windows to make people believe their homes were haunted!
6. The word “Halloween” comes from “All Hallows’ Eve.” This essentially means “the night before All Hallows’ Day.” Today, All Hollows’ Day is referred to as “All Saints’ Day.”
