Halloween: When did it all began?

We celebrate Halloween every year on October 31st. Where does the holiday come from?

The holiday originally comes from a people called the Celts.   The Celts lived in Europe more than 2000 years ago. On November 1^st, they celebrated the end of summer. They thought ghosts visited the living on October 31st. They dressed up like ghosts so the spirits would not harm them.

Today, many countries still remember the dead on November 1^st.  It is called All Saints Day. Another name for it is All Hallow’s Day. The day before, October 31st, is called All Hallow’s Eve, or Halloween for short.

Halloween is an old tradition in Ireland and Scotland. In those countries, people dressed up and carried lanterns made of turnips. When people moved from Ireland and Scotland to the United States, they started using pumpkins. This is where the jack-o’-lantern comes from.  They also had a tradition of giving food to the spirits. Later, they gave the food to poor people. This is where trick-or-treating comes from.   Halloween has changed a lot Halloween has changed a lot since its origins. New people have brought new traditions, and changed the old ones. What do you think Halloween will be like in another two thousand years?

 source:abcteaching.com