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grimdeityGreetings. As you all know, today is Halloween.
Since it is, I thought it prudent to discuss some of the history and psychology behind this whimsical holiday.
Long before Halloween became the commercial, capitalistic candy and costume holiday that we know it for, it is widely believed to have roots in ancient pagan festivals such as Samhain.
Samhain was a Gaelic festival held about halfway between the autumnal equinox and winter solstice.
It was seen as a liminal time when the veil between here and the otherworld thinned, which I find to be a facet that has prevailed to modern Halloween.
However, speculation that I found on a reliable site [ twitter, she found it on twitter ] suggests that perhaps this idea of liminal space was a Victorian add-on rather than an actual part of Samhain. Consider both points debatable.
Of course, any time a holiday has pagan roots, it of course also has some kind of Christian backstory as well. (See: Christmas, which we can discuss in December.)
Halloween is the evening before the Christian holy days of All Hallows' Day (or All Saints') on November 1st and All Souls' Day on November 2nd. Hence, All Hallows' Eve.
The practice of begging for candy may originate with the English medieval custom of "souling", going from parish to parish begging for soul cakes from the rich in exchange for prayers. Presumably, no soul cakes harbored actual souls.
Dressing in costume or "guising" can be dated back to the late 1800s in Scotland.
Many cultures seem to have customs of revering the dead, with the belief their souls freely roam, around this time of year. And that perhaps they may need to be appeased before returning to their slumber.
In North America, this combo of customs that make modern Halloween appeared in the early 1900s. I believe costumes were a fair bit more gastly then than the cheap plastic and polyester we wear now.
There. That's your history lesson, sourced from the best. [ wikipedia ]
So, trick or treat?
Since it is, I thought it prudent to discuss some of the history and psychology behind this whimsical holiday.
Long before Halloween became the commercial, capitalistic candy and costume holiday that we know it for, it is widely believed to have roots in ancient pagan festivals such as Samhain.
Samhain was a Gaelic festival held about halfway between the autumnal equinox and winter solstice.
It was seen as a liminal time when the veil between here and the otherworld thinned, which I find to be a facet that has prevailed to modern Halloween.
However, speculation that I found on a reliable site [ twitter, she found it on twitter ] suggests that perhaps this idea of liminal space was a Victorian add-on rather than an actual part of Samhain. Consider both points debatable.
Of course, any time a holiday has pagan roots, it of course also has some kind of Christian backstory as well. (See: Christmas, which we can discuss in December.)
Halloween is the evening before the Christian holy days of All Hallows' Day (or All Saints') on November 1st and All Souls' Day on November 2nd. Hence, All Hallows' Eve.
The practice of begging for candy may originate with the English medieval custom of "souling", going from parish to parish begging for soul cakes from the rich in exchange for prayers. Presumably, no soul cakes harbored actual souls.
Dressing in costume or "guising" can be dated back to the late 1800s in Scotland.
Many cultures seem to have customs of revering the dead, with the belief their souls freely roam, around this time of year. And that perhaps they may need to be appeased before returning to their slumber.
In North America, this combo of customs that make modern Halloween appeared in the early 1900s. I believe costumes were a fair bit more gastly then than the cheap plastic and polyester we wear now.
There. That's your history lesson, sourced from the best. [ wikipedia ]
So, trick or treat?
