Wait, Halloween is a Religious Holiday?
“I thought it was just an excuse for us to run around dressed up and score candy from all the neighbors?"
Well it turns out Halloween actually developed from an old Celtic religious tradition over two thousand years old. The Celts lived in what is now Ireland, The United Kingdom, and Northern France, and they lived of a different calendar than we do today. Their new year began on November 1st, and October 31 was the eve of their new year. This day marked the conclusion of the summer and the beginning of the winter. On this day, the boundary between the living and the dead became blurred, and supposedly the ghosts of the dead returned to the earth. To protect themselves from the spirits, they would build large bonfires and burn crops and live animals as sacrifices to the Gods. During these celebrations, everybody dressed up in costumes and prayed for comfort and direction in the coming winter.
The Romans and Christianity took over the Celts by the 800’s. Pope Boniface IV designated November 1st All-Saints’ Day to honor all the saints and martyrs. This day also became known as All-Hallows Day, and the night before was All-Hallows Eve, and eventually Halloween. Our capitalistic society took this event and commercialized it, and it is now the second most money-making holiday, behind Christmas. Last year alone, Americans spent over $4 billion on decorations, costumes, candy, and other Halloween paraphernalia. This commercialization of Halloween demonstrates the weakening of religious traditions in society today.
Well it turns out Halloween actually developed from an old Celtic religious tradition over two thousand years old. The Celts lived in what is now Ireland, The United Kingdom, and Northern France, and they lived of a different calendar than we do today. Their new year began on November 1st, and October 31 was the eve of their new year. This day marked the conclusion of the summer and the beginning of the winter. On this day, the boundary between the living and the dead became blurred, and supposedly the ghosts of the dead returned to the earth. To protect themselves from the spirits, they would build large bonfires and burn crops and live animals as sacrifices to the Gods. During these celebrations, everybody dressed up in costumes and prayed for comfort and direction in the coming winter.
The Romans and Christianity took over the Celts by the 800’s. Pope Boniface IV designated November 1st All-Saints’ Day to honor all the saints and martyrs. This day also became known as All-Hallows Day, and the night before was All-Hallows Eve, and eventually Halloween. Our capitalistic society took this event and commercialized it, and it is now the second most money-making holiday, behind Christmas. Last year alone, Americans spent over $4 billion on decorations, costumes, candy, and other Halloween paraphernalia. This commercialization of Halloween demonstrates the weakening of religious traditions in society today.
1 Comments:
The religious traditions of most holidays seem to be overshadowed by the corporate commercial world. No holiday is safe from commercialization, as there will always be some product or profit that someone can turn from it. Religion takes a back seat during most holidays, for most people.
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