What is the original meaning of "Halloween"?
The word "Halloween" comes from All Hallows' Eve and means "hallowed evening." The history of Halloween dates back to a pagan festival called Samhain.
(Photos from around Salina, by Diane Dowell)
Hundred of years ago, people dressed up as saints and went door-to-door, which is the origin of the Halloween costumes and trick-or-treating.
Most scholars agree that Halloween originated some 2,000 years ago, when Celtic people in Europe celebrated the end of the harvest and the start of a new year in a festival called Samhain.
A few common and fun Halloween tradition are:
- Carving Jack-o'-Lanterns
- Wearing costumes
- Trick-or-treating
- Visiting haunted houses
- Telling scary stories.
The custom of Halloween came to America in the 1840's with Irish immigrants fleeing a potato famine. At that time, the favorite pranks in New England included tipping over outhouses and unhinging fence gates.
Some Halloween Safety Tips:
- Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks
- Put electronic devices down, keep heads up and walk, don't run, across the street
- Always walk on sidewalks or paths
- Wear reflective, flame-resistant costumes
- Carry glow sticks or flashlights
The top 10 most popular Halloween decorations are:
- skeletons
- pumpkins
- spiders
- witch
- bats
- ghosts
- tombstones
- animal skeletons