Halloween: Origin, History and Celebrations

In the US and Europe, people celebrate Halloween on 31st October of each year. It is a holiday which is widely celebrated all around the world, especially in Europe and America. Interestingly, Halloween 2021 will occur on Sunday. It means that it is the perfect time to boost the fun with your friends and family. A considerable amount of history fills this day. It is truly amazing to find out how an ancient festival turned into a day of festive gatherings. So before entering rightly into the article, below is the table of contents. The table will help you to understand what we will discuss in today’s article: –

• Origins of Halloween
• History of Trick or Treating
• Jack-o-Lantern – Relation Between Pumpkin and Halloween
• How Halloween Came to America
• Halloween and Europe – How Europeans Celebrate It?
• Best Places to Celebrate Halloween 2021
• Top 5 Recipes for Halloween
• Best Drinks and Cocktails to Try at Halloween 2021
• The Most Famous Costumes for Halloween 2021

How attractive is the above table? For Halloween lovers, the article covers everything perfectly, so read carefully. Thus, the time has come to kick off the writing by learning about the history and origins of this magical day.

Origins of Halloween

According to recorded history, Halloween was a Celtic festival of Samhain. Samhain (pronunciation /sow-in/) were the Celtic people who lived in the United Kingdom 2,000 years ago. In the present era, most of the area of Samhain people is in Ireland. The people who lived in such regions used to celebrate their new year on 1st November.

On that day, before the arrival of winter, they used to mark the end of summer. In that era, people associated winter with the death of humans due to no or low medical conditions. Also, the Celts believed that the ghosts of death return to the earth at the beginning of winter. That is why they started to perform various rituals on the night of 31st October. Later, that day evolved as Halloween and became famous all over the world.

History of “Trick or Treating”

Among the famous traditions of Halloween, one is Trick or Treating. The custom is original to European rules, but Americans hugely follow it. People used to dress up in different costumes and go house to house. When going from place to home, people either ask for food or money. This custom gained popularity among all ages. Thus, it is still one of the most prominent traditions of this day.

Jack-o-Lantern – Relation between Pumpkin and Halloween

The first thing you hear about Halloween is a ghoulish pumpkin. Pumpkins have become a symbol to describe the said day. Even so, still many people don’t know what the relation between pumpkins and Halloween is. Let’s find out why illuminated pumpkins are associated with this day.

The illuminated pumpkins with various horror carvings are known as Jack-o-lanterns. These lanterns contain a history behind them. For centuries, people carved and illustrated pumpkins as a vital part of this holiday. As the name suggests, the lantern relates to a person named Stingy Jack. Stingy Jack is a character of Irish legend. Long or short, Stingy Jack tricked the devil, and since then, the Dead-Jack has been roaming on the earth. For frightening Jack and evil, people light up lanterns.

In America, people celebrate the legend of Stingy Jack by carving scary faces on pumpkins. Meanwhile, in Europe, turnips and potatoes are also used for such purposes.

Halloween in England and Scotland

In England, the London Dungeon is the perfect place to spend this night. For partying, owners decorate their pubs to celebrate Halloween. Moreover, Guy Fawkes Day, known as Bonfire Night, is observed on 5th November in England.

The lands on both sides of the English Channel are homes for this magical holiday. England and Scotland have their versions of Halloween celebrations. In Scotland, people visit the scary landmarks of Edinburgh. Some guides take you on special tours of the Dungeon of Edinburgh.

How Halloween Came to America?

Before the discovery of America, Halloween was restricted only to Europe. Yet, people celebrated this event only in the English colonies in America. These were Maryland, New England, and the southern colonies.

As the people of different beliefs started to mix up in America, a new shape of this spooky event emerged. In the early stages, this event in America was nothing more than play parties. Gradually, the day grew and took the form of the proper festival. Several things about American Halloween are from European traditions.

Halloween and Europe – How Europeans Celebrate It?

It is fair to say that every origin and custom of this spooky day belongs to Europe. Many people think that it is purely an American festival, but it started all from the lands of Celtic. Let us take a glimpse of how Europeans celebrate this day in different parts of Europe.

France

Halloween in France is a special day for the French people. Every year, Disneyland in Paris is an exciting place where people spend most of their time. But, more than that, the town of Limoges is famous for Toussaint celebrations.

Italy

Restaurants and Halloween in Italy go hand in hand. Local streets, pubs, cafes, museums and cinemas display the spooky environment of this event.

Best Places to Celebrate Halloween 2021

Before All Saints Day, people celebrate Halloween in many countries. If you are planning to make this day a memorable holiday, then you have come to the right place. Here, we will give you some best places to rejoice to make your day valuable.

Las Vegas

Nevada, Las Vegas, known as the “Sin City”, is the perfect place to spend this day. The central hub of gambling becomes a house of spookiness on the evening of 31st October. For instance, sites like MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, are the best to spend this spooky night.

London

Winter plus Halloween becomes a perfect package to enjoy on a cold evening in London. On 31st October, London becomes one of the spookiest places, covered with dark and fog. The whole atmosphere is enough to make you believe the influence of the spookiness. If you are on vacation for at least a week, do not miss out on the Bonfire Night that falls on 5th November.

Dublin

Ireland, from where this holiday began, is the best place to spend your day. The celebrations such as the Meath Festival and costume parade can make your night special. Also, horror stories roam through the country with the added touch of ghostly locations.

Salem

The small town of Massachusetts is a significant source of fear. The town is famous as the Witch City because of the Witch Trials of 1692. Alongside a tourist place, the city attracts thousands of people to this magical event.

Oaxaca

In the backyard of the United States, the best place to celebrate Halloween is Oaxaca. Located in Mexico, the day is known as the Day of the Dead. People remember the deceased and dress up in skeletons with painted faces. Although the event is not spooky, the festival is quite colourful and vibrant.

Top 5 Recipes for Halloween

Halloween is not about lighting up lanterns or dressing up in costumes at all. There is much more that you can do on 31st October. Below are given some recipes that you should try to make this holiday delicious.

Eyeball Cookies

Do go after the name because these cookies are way tastier than the normal ones. The cookies look adorable and easy to make for your friends and families.

Candy Corn Cookies

At home, these cookies are among the easiest recipes to follow. All you need to do is make the dough, shape it, chill it, and bake. You can use these cookies for treats for the children on Halloween.

Bat Cupcakes

Sweets are an integral part of Halloween. Similarly, you can try out cupcakes of several shapes, but bat cupcakes have leverage. They are flavoursome because of centre-filled chocolate and adorable because of their outlook.

The Witch Fingers

The witch fingers are very popular among the recipes for Halloween. No matter how horrible they are in appearance, their taste is delightful. They are also known as frightening fingers, and these are easy to make.

Snack Mix

Forget the cereal for your breakfast and try the pumpkin snack mix on the upcoming Halloween. The recipe for pumpkin snack mix is available on the internet, and you can try it out at any minute.

Best Drinks to Try at Halloween 2021

After the spooky dishes mentioned above, below is the list of some cocktails and drinks that you can try this night: –

• Halloween Punch
• Vampire’s Kiss
• Zombie Cocktail
• Corpse Reviver
• Jack-O-Lantern
• Dark and Stormy
• Pumpkin Martini
• Old Fashioned Pumpkin
• Witch Brew Drink

The Most Famous Costumes for Halloween 2021

Dressing up in an attractive costume is pretty necessary to celebrate this event. If you want to try some famous costumes for this holiday, read the recommendations below: –

Costumes for Kids

• Princess
• Batman
• Superhero
• Vampire
• Spiderman

Costumes for Adults

• Pirate
• Favourite Movie Character
• Witch
• Ghost
• Pumpkin