Each year on October 31, people around the world carve pumpkins, dress up in spooky costumes, and celebrate one of the most beloved — and mysterious — holidays of the year. But few know that Halloween’s origins stretch back thousands of years, to an ancient festival marking the changing of the seasons and the thinning of the veil between the living and the dead.
When Is Halloween Celebrated?
Halloween, short for All Hallows’ Eve, is celebrated on the night before All Saints’ Day — the Christian feast honoring all saints on November 1. The date, October 31, was chosen because it coincided with Samhain, the ancient Celtic festival that marked the end of harvest and the start of winter.
Samhain symbolized transition — from light to darkness, life to death — and was believed to be the night when spirits could cross into the world of the living. Bonfires were lit, offerings were made, and people wore disguises to ward off wandering souls.
The History Behind the Halloween Traditions
The Celts, and later the Druids of the British Isles, celebrated Samhain as the “death of the old year.” They believed that during this night, the barrier between the human world and the spirit world grew thin, allowing both good and evil spirits to pass through.
In medieval England, the night was sometimes called “Nutcracker Night,” when families gathered around the hearth to share cider, nuts, and apples — symbols of the autumn harvest.
From Turnips to Pumpkins: The Story of Jack-O’-Lanterns
The iconic Jack-O’-Lantern has its roots in an Irish folktale about a man named Stingy Jack, who tricked the Devil and was doomed to wander the earth forever with only a carved-out turnip to light his way.
To keep away Jack’s restless spirit, the Irish began carving demonic faces into hollowed-out turnips or potatoes, placing candles inside to frighten evil away. When Irish immigrants arrived in the United States in the 1840s, they found pumpkins — plentiful and easy to carve — and a new Halloween tradition was born.
How to Celebrate Halloween Today
Whether you prefer haunted houses or costume parties, Halloween offers something for everyone. Throw a Halloween party with spooky decorations — bats, skeletons, cobwebs, and eerie candlelight — to set the perfect ghostly mood. Add pumpkin-shaped bags for trick-or-treating and a themed table centerpiece to complete the look. And don’t forget to check your favorite local bars and clubs to see where the parties are happening — venues across the city are already preparing for a lively Halloween night. So grab your costume!
