How Halloween Has Evolved Overtime

Each year, the final night of October involves costumes, candy, and festivities. Halloween season brings pumpkin carving, scary movies, and haunted houses. But when did these traditions begin?

The origins of the holiday can be traced back to a Celtic festival called Samhain. Samhain marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the new year. Celts believed that the night of Samhain blurred the lines between the living and the dead. Supposedly, spirits entering the living world would cause mischief. Druids, or Celtic priests, were said to be able to predict the future more accurately during this time. To celebrate Samhain, Druids would light bonfires while Celts gathered around the fire in costumes.

As Roman influence spread into Celtic territories, traditions associated with Samhain began to intertwine with Roman celebrations. This included Feralia, which honored the dead, and celebrations associated with Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. This is possibly where the tradition of bobbing for apples originated. All Saints’ Day, also known as All Hallow’s Day, is celebrated on November 1 while All Soul’s Day was observed on November 2. The evening before All Saint’s Day was known as All Hallow’s Eve, and eventually evolved into Halloween.

The traditions many are familiar with today come from different stages of the holiday’s history. The medieval practice of giving out soul cakes to those who went door to door requesting food in exchange for prayers is considered one possible origin of trick-or-treating. Halloween costumes also have roots in traditions of dressing up to hide from evil spirits. Early colonial Protestant beliefs discouraged many Halloween celebrations in America. However, as cultures mixed and new groups immigrated to America, Halloween became more widely celebrated. Influences from Celtic, Roman, Christian and immigrant traditions helped create the holiday we know today.

Halloween is now celebrated on the last night of October, which this year is on Saturday. Rather than dressing up in costumes meant to scare away spirits, many people celebrate by wearing group costumes, dressing as their favorite character, or even wearing onesies. Now, children go door to door asking for candy, much like people once did for soul cakes. Modern Halloween differs from past traditions, but the excitement surrounding the season remains. Unionville High School Junior Endsley Gummey explained, “I feel like Halloween is something everyone can’t wait for until it’s the day before and you still don't have a costume.”

Trick-or-treating remains a favorite tradition for many, with candy and other treats replacing the soul cakes of the past. Reflecting on childhood trick-or-treating, Junior Khloe Davis said, “Kids would wait all year for Halloween to get a bunch of candy and then stop at the one house that only gives out apples.” Halloween continues to evolve today, with celebrations such as trunk-or-treating becoming increasingly popular. This year, the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District is hosting its own Trunk-or-Treating event at Patton Middle School on October 24. Instead of going from door to door, families can gather to decorate their cars, wear costumes, and collect candy from the trunks of other vehicles. Regardless of how the holiday is celebrated, Halloween brings the community together through costumes, candy, parties, and more.