Hi! Palme School here! Today we're talking about Halloween.
- What's that?
- How are they celebrating?
- Why pumpkins for Halloween?
- What it looks like in other countries.
What is Halloween?
Halloween is an international holiday and is celebrated on October 31, the eve of All Saints' Day. The name comes from the English word "Halloween". All-Hallows-Even (All-Hallows-Even). Despite its popularity in the United States, this holiday came from the ancient Celts of Ireland and Scotland.
People begged for sweets and in return prayed for the deceased relatives and friends of those who shared the treats with them.
The historian who studied Halloween, Nicholas Rogers, speculated that the holiday came from the Celtic Samhain (the end of the harvest), which was also celebrated on October 31. And a few centuries later, the Roman Church tied this pagan holiday to All Saints' Day.
How is Halloween celebrated today?
Children dress up in carnival costumes, go door-to-door and demand candy, sweets or money with the phrase Trick-or-treats. And the phrase was first registered in the United States in 1934.
Adults organize parties, try on different costumes and give candy to children. Examples of such parties can be seen in any American sitcom, such as "Friends", "How I Met Your Mother", "The Clinic", etc.
The tradition of dressing up didn't appear until the 20th century, and before 1900 there was no mention of a Halloween masquerade in any country.
Another tradition is. Haunted attractions. The oldest such attraction is the Haunted House of Oner and Spooner.
Treats include pumpkin dishes, corn syrup candies in the shape of pumpkins, witches, etc. In Ireland they make sweet bread with raisins - barmbrack.
Why pumpkins for Halloween?
Pumpkins are the main symbol of the holiday. Partly because the holiday is celebrated during pumpkin picking season. And partly because of the legend of Jack's lamp. Here it is:
"On his way home, Jack, a drunkard, met the Devil, but he managed to fool him - he asked the unclean man to climb a tree for fruit, and as soon as he climbed up the spreading crown, Jack scratched a cross on the trunk, thus capturing the Devil and bargaining for his privileges. Having spent his life in drunkenness and sin, Jack was unable to enter paradise after death. According to his promise, the Devil did not take Jack to hell either, but only threw him a lump of coal from the fires of hell. That cold night, Jack put the smoldering coal in an empty turnip to keep it from fading away. He has been wandering the earth ever since, unable to find a place for himself
Notably, Jack's lamp was originally made from a turnip, but later colonists in North America replaced the turnip with a pumpkin.
What holidays in other cultures is Halloween similar to?
Slavic custom - carols - has similar traditions. Children and adults wear different costumes, go door to door and ask for sweets and treats. But it takes place in winter and is done for the glory of the new harvest.
There's more:
Pchum Ben in Komboje.
Obon in Japan.
Gai Jatra in Nepal.
Hungry Spirits Festival in Hong Kong.
More interesting stuff on our blog
