Halloween Around the World

By Teys P. Tirol
Designs by Teys

Have you ever wondered where Halloween started and why it's celebrated with jack o'lanterns, masks and costumes and trick or treating?

Halloween, as we know it today, is a term shortened from the words All Hallows' Even or the eve of All Hallows Day more commonly known today as All Saints' Day which is celebrated on November 1. But have you ever wondered when  this holiday really started? So here's a little something about one of the most awaited celebrations in the US.

Halloween, historically finds its roots in Ireland. The old Irish festival was traditionally a celebration of the end of the harvest season. The ancient Gaels believed that on October 31, the boundary between the dead and the living dissolved and it was during this time that the deceased caused

problems for the living by causing sickness or damage to the crops. During the festival there would be "bonfires" or "bone-fires" where they would throw in the bones of the livestock they slaughtered for winter stores and burn these bones in the fires. It was also a time when people would wear costumes and masks to either mimic the evil spirits or scare them off as well.

Now what about the Jack-o-lantern? The Jack-o-Lantern or "night watchman" or "man with a lantern" is actually based on an old Irish legend of Stingy Jack the Smith, a greedy man  who outsmarted the devil and worked his way out of hell but was too sinful to enter heaven so he ended up roaming the earth after he died. . Jack told the devil that if he had to roam the earth he would not be able to see where to go because he had no light. So the devil tossed him..

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