Some experts suggest our modern-day Halloween actually stems from the pre-Christian Celtic festival known as Samhain. It is believed that this was a celebration of harvest, where the hides of livestock were worn as a way of connecting to the animal’s spirit. In addition to the celebration of harvest, the night was viewed as a time when spirts moved into the living world. While many of the details of the festival are lost, some believe food or sweets were left out to pacify the walking spirts. The younger generation would then dress in costumes to protect themselves from the spirts while they ate their food offering. Whatever the festival’s true traditions, upon the Christianization of Ireland in the Fifth Century, the festival was incorporated into the Christian practice of “All Hollow’s Eve.” Since then, the tradition has morphed as it spread across Europe, with participants typically dressed in disguises or masks on the 31stof October. Some even suggest the tradition of dressing in costume stems from the Christian influence of the medieval ages. At this time individuals would celebrate through the streets with statues and replicas of the Saints. Those who could not afford such items would instead dress like the saint.
Whatever the origin, the tradition took a foot hold in the North American Continent where Americans celebrated the tradition with costume parades for the children. At this time all the costumes were made at home and typically showcased the darker traditions of All Hollow’s Eve. They typically consisted of items laying around or left over scraps of fabric. They were simple and did not reflect the pop cultural aspects we experience today. Also at this time, Victorian morality pushed Halloween out of the public sphere and made it more of a private holiday for children. It was not until the 1930s that Halloween costumes were mass-produced and made available in stores. Partly due to the popularity of Hollywood Horror films that now played throughout the country, macabre costume ideas became more elaborate and the costumes began to vary. Since this time the tradition of costumes have taken hold with numerous varieties beyond the supernatural. Besides vampires and ghosts it is very common to see superheroes and princesses ringing your door bell. In addition to the evolution of the children’s costume, adults have become more involved in the traditions as well. Today everyone has the opportunity to treat the night as a time to have fun and dress up!
While it is a far cry from the ritual of wearing animal skins or the celebration of saints, the tradition still remains a celebration of life and a remembrance of the spirits that lurk in the dark.