Halloween, also known as Night of the Witches, Day of the Dead or All Hallows’ Eve, is a holiday celebrated on October 31, the eve of the Christian feast of All Saints’ Day. This celebration has a special resonance in Anglo-Saxon countries, although in recent times it has spread internationally. On Halloween, people dress up in eccentric costumes and children take to the streets to ask for candy around the houses. This custom is familiar to us, but have you ever wondered where this particular tradition comes from? Or, for example, what does the word Halloween really mean? In this short article we tell you.
A look back in time: the origin of Halloween
The pagan festival of Shamain
Some experts argue that many of the practices carried out today on Halloween night date back to an ancient Celtic festival linked to the agricultural cycle. It is the festival of Shamain, on the eve of November 1, an occasion to communicate with the spirits of the deceased, who are allowed to wander in the world of the living on that night. On this date, the doors separating the two worlds were opened, so that the living could turn to their ancestors in the beyond and seek advice from them.
In Gaelic culture, Shamain was a seasonal festival that commemorated the beginning of a new year, coinciding with the end of summer and the harvest, when the farmers returned from the fields to spend the winter in shelter. The importance of this festival was such that practically all the relevant events of the pre-Christian Celtic period (in the lands of Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man) revolved around it. In Shamain, the world was invaded by supernatural forces, which provided an opportunity for the dead to mingle with the living, a tradition that is still maintained on Halloween. The people of these villages lit bonfires and held rituals around them as they were considered to have protective and purifying powers.
All Saints’ Day and the Day of the Dead
With the arrival of Christianity, many pagan beliefs and customs deeply rooted in the collective imagination proved difficult to eliminate. Therefore, instead of eradicating them, the Christian authorities opted to adapt them to the customary use and practice of the religion. Thus, the equivalent of Shamain in Christian culture is All Saints’ Day, introduced by Pope Boniface VI in the 7th century to adjust this holiday and alter its nature as a non-religious form of worship. Currently, All Saints’ Day (November 1) is celebrated in many Christian countries, with this holiday being especially significant in some Latin American cultures (as in the case of Mexico, where the festivity of the cult of the dead mixes elements of the indigenous substratum with others of Christian roots).
Where does the word Halloween come from?
The etymology of this term has its origin in the English language. In English, All Saints’ Day was called Allhallowtide, which derives from three words: all, «all»; hallow, «sacred» (halig in Old English and holy in Modern English) and tide, «time» (like Christmastide), or Hallowmas, the latter part of which derives from mass. However, over time, the expression All Hallow’s Eve began to become popular. This expression would eventually evolve into Halloween.
The fact that some Anglo-Saxon countries have the Halloween holiday so deeply rooted is mainly due to immigration. As we have been able to see, in Ireland this festivity has been taking place for centuries. Therefore, when in the 19th and 20th centuries there was an important migratory flow of Irish population to the United States, they also took their old customs there.
The origin of the expression «trick or treat”
It is very likely that this holiday is also related to the typical phrase uttered by children when they come in costume to the door of the house to ask for candy. In fact, this phrase comes from the English saying «trick or treat». In the Spanish translation, it would probably be more appropriate to translate these terms as «jugarreta o sorpresa», as it is closer to the meaning of the expression in its original language. However, we have opted for the form «trick or treat» to maintain the phonetic play of alliteration and make the phrase easier to remember.
Having seen this, you are now probably more aware of why Halloween is one of the most special and magical nights of the year.
Carlos Sánchez Luis