Halloween is an ancient holiday and its roots date back to thousands of years. The holiday transformed in to the current shape when it was derived from many influences of many cultures e.g. Roman’s Pomona Day, Christian holidays of all days and all souls Days. Celts lived in certain parts of Europe including England. They use to worship many gods. They worshipped “sun god” and regarded him as the supreme of all gods.
They believed that the sun god decides when to work or when to sleep and he nourishes vegetation and trees. The Celts used to have their New Year celebrations on the first day of November. The event assumed the form of a festival and regarded the event as sign of conclusion of season of the sun god and the commencement of winter season which is a season that brings darkness and chill. The October 31 was the day when the harvesting of crops was complete and the grains had been stored. The priests will join at a place and ignite fires to signify it as an alternative of the sunshine. The burning fragments of woods are distributed among the families to begin new fires for baking and cooking. They had the belief that sacred fire will make their homes warm and purge them from evil ghosts. The festival was called as “Samhain” and pronounced as “sow-en”.
The celebration usually continued for three days and people wore animal skins to celebrate the event. This is how the concept of wearing Halloween costumes originated. The celebration later on assumed the name ‘Halloween’.
Holloween Day
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