By Matija Šerić
Every October 31, in large parts of the world, a holiday called Halloween, or All Hallows’ Eve in English, is celebrated. Carved pumpkins (jack-o’-lanterns), skeletons, black cats, witches, ghosts, and candles flood the streets of American, Canadian, British, Irish, Mexican (although there it is celebrated as the Day of the Dead, not Halloween), and other cities. The holiday has deep roots and represents a mixture of traditions: Celtic, Irish, Scottish, and pagan. Although the celebration was not originally Christian, it has certain connections to Christianity and other religions.
In the modern world, this holiday is, for some, a pleasant celebration and an opportunity for a day of dressing up, while for others it is considered blasphemy mocking faith in God and higher powers. However, as with other traditions, reality is not black-and-white. Halloween is an integral part of Western popular culture and should be viewed as a unique social phenomenon with its own specific features worthy of examination.
The Celtic Festival of Samhain
The origins of the celebration date back 2,500 years BCE. On October 31, the Celts celebrated the festival of Samhain, marking the end of the Old Year and the beginning of the New Year. The word “Samhain” means the end of summer and the transition from long, warm, sunny days to short winter days dominated by long, cold nights. To protect themselves from spirits wandering at night, the Celts smeared their faces with ash from bonfires—a custom known as “masking” (guising). Over time, this practice evolved into the tradition of wearing masks. Hidden behind ash, participants could blend with the dark spirits and avoid their revenge, while also recognizing and honoring the spirits of their deceased loved ones. From these ancient beliefs and rituals, modern Halloween customs gradually developed: lighting bonfires, dressing up, horror-themed parties, and community gatherings—all elements that today create the magic and mysterious allure of this holiday.
Bonfires were the heart of the ancient Samhain festival. The Celts burned the bones of animals they had slaughtered for winter consumption. The powerful flames united people, gods, and spirits under the same sky. In pagan times, fire was celebrated as a symbol of transformation and the transition between worlds, dedicated to deities who governed the cycles of life and death. From this ancient practice emerged the English word bonfire—originally “bone fire,” referring to a fire made from bones.
Christianity Adopts Celtic Practices
When Christianity arrived in Ireland in the 5th century, the custom of burning animal bones did not disappear; it merely took on new symbols. Under Christian auspices, the same fires burned in honor of saints. The fire remained, now as an ancient language by which people invoked light into darkness and warmth into the hearts of long autumn nights.
In the 8th century, Pope Gregory III moved All Saints’ Day from May 13 to November 1 to coincide with the time when the Celts celebrated Samhain. Thus, October 31 became the evening before All Saints’ Day—a night between darkness and light. Why did the pope do this? At that time, the Church in northern and western Europe was confronting a strong pagan heritage, especially among the Celts. Pope Gregory III wanted to fill this pagan period with Christian content to ease the Celts’ transition to Christianity. By moving All Saints’ Day to November 1, the Church created a desirable alternative to Samhain without directly abolishing it. Instead of pagan spirits and gods, believers began honoring all saints. This turned out to be a smart move.
All Saints’ Day Overwrites Samhain
By the 16th century, the night of October 31 to November 1 became a time when the poor would go from house to house carrying lanterns and singing church songs. In return, they sought “soul cakes”—small tokens of gratitude for prayers for the deceased. This custom, called souling, was much more than mere begging for food: it was an act of compassion and remembrance, a testament to the connection between the living and the dead. Centuries later, modern Halloween traditions emerged from this practice. Prayers were recited to help the souls of deceased family members find peace in purgatory. After the Protestant Reformation, when belief in purgatory was rejected, prayers were offered for living household members instead.
Trick-or-Treating and Halloween Colors
The custom of giving “soul cakes” in exchange for prayers gradually evolved into what we now know as trick-or-treating, i.e., going from house to house collecting sweets. An inseparable companion of this night of wandering and costumes is the jack-o’-lantern: a glowing pumpkin with a carved smile—a symbol of light defying darkness. The classic Halloween colors, orange and black, are often said to have originated from the ancient custom of placing a lit, carved pumpkin to ward off evil spirits roaming the night. Their story, however, goes back to the ancient Celts. At that time, black symbolized the death of summer and the end of light, while orange celebrated autumn, harvest abundance, and the warm tones of nature retreating into rest. These two colors—darkness and flame—thus became an enduring symbol of Halloween and a reminder that even in darkness, there is always a spark of life.
Night of “Naughty” Children
In Protestant European countries, Halloween was celebrated alongside All Saints’ Day, and British, Irish, and other European immigrants brought the custom to the United States, Canada, and the rest of the world in the 19th century. By the early 20th century, Halloween in many areas had become a night of pranks and mischief, when mischievous boys and girls often caused significant damage to the homes they visited. This custom evolved into what is now called “mischief night”—celebrated today in milder, more playful forms. Yet the spirit of mischief and the playful boundary between darkness and light still lingers over this night, reminding us that Halloween has always been a time when imagination and boldness come to the forefront.
Night of Sweets
Between 1920 and 1927 in North America, the night of pranks gradually transformed into a game of going door-to-door, where children, instead of destroying property, asked for sweets in exchange for a promise not to damage the house. Among the most popular treats during trick-or-treating were candy corn and sweet cigarettes. The first record of trick-or-treating in print appeared in 1927 in a newspaper in Blackie, Alberta (Canada). How and why this change occurred remains shrouded in mystery, much like the magic of Halloween itself.
Carnival
One of the old highlights of Halloween was the carnival, often complemented in schools by a costume parade. Around October 31, schools would host small parties with treats, costume contests, games, and cake sales. While carnivals sometimes began with a parade, the parade was almost always the highlight—the moment when children showcased their imagination, creativity, and daring through the wildest and most colorful costumes. Halloween carnivals remain popular today, but not as much in schools; rather, they now take place on the streets. People of all ages participate in public celebrations, drive through the city in costumes, or host themed parties at home. In this way, the spirit of community and joy that carnivals brought to school halls still lives on, now in a broader, modern form.
Props and Customs
In addition to carved pumpkins, trick-or-treating, carnivals, and parties, Halloween celebrations today include bonfires, apple-bobbing games, fortune-telling activities, pranks, decorating homes with spooky decorations, visiting “haunted” houses, and horror movie marathons. People of all ages enjoy contests for the best costume and creative expression through makeup, props, and lighting effects. Halloween has thus become a comprehensive celebration of imagination, fun, and light fear, connecting communities and awakening the spirit of autumn.
An Extremely Popular Holiday
Interestingly, after Christmas, Halloween is the world’s most popular holiday. The ancient Celtic festival became particularly popular in North America and Europe in the 1950s, although its popularity varied by location. Today, it is celebrated in some way in more than 40 countries worldwide. Americanization through mass media has brought Halloween to the most distant corners of the world, and it is now celebrated in countries such as Brazil, Japan, Chile, South Korea, India, and more. Its popularity brings revenue—and substantial revenue at that. According to the U.S. National Retail Federation, Americans are expected to spend over $13 billion on Halloween this year. That’s about $114 per person: $51 on costumes, $45 on decorations, $33 on candy, and $21 on greeting cards. Not a small sum, even for the U.S.
A Cultural Phenomenon
In popular culture, Halloween is seen as a celebration involving watching horror movies (the Halloween franchise, Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street) and TV series (Stranger Things, Wednesday) filled with fear, dark stories, and supernatural phenomena. This autumn night has become a moment when fear and fun intersect, and people, through costumes and decorations, encounter the mysterious, enigmatic, and slightly frightening world.
Religious attitudes toward Halloween are ambivalent, with Islam being the strictest. Some Christian and Jewish clerics, although they do not celebrate Halloween, view it positively as a night of harmless fun. Others oppose it fiercely. Catholic communities, of course, tend to be more opposed than Protestant ones, but there is no uniform stance. Most Christians see it as harmless entertainment that is acceptable as long as it does not contradict Christian beliefs.
Personal Choice
Ultimately, it is up to each individual how to observe a night that once marked the transition from summer to winter (and today is celebrated during the week when daylight saving time ends). Some will watch a horror movie marathon, others will attend a city carnival, some will go to church, and others will not celebrate the holiday at all. A little bit of fun in the middle of autumn cannot hurt, especially in the turbulent times we live in today. Fun should be an essential part of life. Those who find joy in Halloween’s magic should embrace it.
References:
https://kiricard.com/30-spooky-and-iconic-halloween-symbols/
https://www.worldhistory.org/article/2830/ten-halloween-facts-and-traditions-you-need-to-kno/
https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2021/10/the-origins-of-halloween-traditions/
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Halloween
https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Halloween/
https://fox4kc.com/news/americans-to-spend-record-114-per-person-on-halloween-this-year/
