Halloween is a beloved holiday for every child, and even several adults. Halloween is the one day of the year designated to being something other than yourself. Every year, children all over the United States are eager to head out in their costumes to get some delicious candy. In fact, one quarter of all the candy sold annually in the U.S. is purchased for Halloween. How did Halloween come about though? Have no fear, “The Pioneer Press” did some research to give you the history of Halloween.

    Halloween is known for being the holiday of superstition.  It’s the time of year where fall has settled in and Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years are fastly approaching. According to The History Channel, “It is thought to have originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off roaming ghosts. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor all saints and martyrs; the holiday, All Saints’ Day, incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before was known as All Hallows’ Eve and later Halloween. Over time, Halloween evolved into a secular, community-based event characterized by child-friendly activities such as trick-or-treating.”

    Halloween is celebrated all over the world, but was not always celebrated  in the United States. In the 1700’s, Halloween was not celebrated in the New England colonies due to the strict Protestant beliefs. In the southern colonies and Maryland, Halloween was celebrated due to the different belief and customs systems. “The first celebrations included play parties, public events held to celebrate the harvest, where neighbors would share stories of the dead, tell each other’s fortunes, dance and sing. Colonial Halloween festivities also featured the telling of ghost stories and mischief-making of all kinds. By the middle of the nineteenth century, annual autumn festivities were common, but Halloween was not yet celebrated everywhere in the country,” explained The History Channel.

    Where did the costumes tradition come from? Costumes did not become part of the Halloween tradition until the second half of the nineteenth century. Many immigrants, such as the Irish fleeing the potato famine, brought over to America many of their customs. “Taking from Irish and English traditions, Americans began to dress up in costumes and go house to house asking for food or money, a practice that eventually became today’s trick-or-treat’ tradition,” stated The History Channel.  It wasn’t until the early to mid 1900’s that the tradition of trick-or-treating around neighborhoods became part of the traditions for Halloween.

    According to CNN, “More than 157 million Americans will celebrate Halloween this year, with eight in 10 millennials saying they are already planning something fun with their friends. Total spending in 2015 will top $6.9 billion, with the average American planning to spend $74.34 on decorations, candy, costumes and more.” Halloween will continue to be enjoyed by many for centuries to come.