The Story of Halloween

Halloween didn’t start with candy and costumes—it began over 2,000 years ago with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced “sow-in”). The Celts celebrated their New Year on November 1, marking the end of harvest and the start of winter—a time associated with death and darkness. They believed that on the night before, October 31, the boundary between the living and the dead blurred, allowing spirits to roam the earth.

When the Romans conquered Celtic lands, their festivals merged with Samhain, adding traditions like honoring the dead and celebrating the harvest. Later, as Christianity spread, the Church created All Saints’ Day on November 1, and the night before became All Hallows’ Eve—eventually shortened to Halloween.

By the 1800s, immigrants (especially the Irish) brought these customs to America, where Halloween evolved into the celebration we know today—complete with costumes, pumpkins, and plenty of sugar. 🎃

Fun fact: The first jack-o’-lanterns were actually carved from turnips, not pumpkins! 😱

So this year, whether you’re dressing up, passing out candy, or watching scary movies, take a second to remember—you’re part of a tradition that’s been uniting people for thousands of years.