Trick or Treat? 🎃 A Brief History of Halloween Traditions | Newsround

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Halloween is celebrated every year on 31 October all around the world.

In countries like America, it truly is a holiday season. Trick or treats, pumpkins, spooky costumes.

But do you really know what it's all about and why its celebrated? Well fear not, folks!

No tricks, all treats...

...Here's everything you need to know about how this terrifying tradition came about.

The origins of Halloween date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, 2,000 years ago.

The Celts believed Samhain was the day in the year when the gap between our world and the spirit world was blurred, making it easier for the spirits of the dead to return.

SPOOKY. But don't be scared!

To commemorate the day, they would build huge bonfires, wear costumes and tell fortunes.

Over many years, as the Romans conquered much of Europe and Christianity spread into Celtics lands, the traditions of these beliefs and cultures blended.

DID YOU KNOW? Bobbing apples is thought to come from the Roman's worship of Pomona, the goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona being... the apple.

Eventually, the Christian festival of "All Saints' or "All Souls Day, otherwise known as All-Hallows, took over - the night before which is called All Hallows Eve... leading to the name, yep you guessed it - Halloween!

The traditions of Halloween
Trick or Treat began hundreds of years ago in medieval England, when people would go door to door offering a pray or a song in exchange for food.

This was known back then as Souling, taking place on All Saint's Day when Christians would traditionally pray for their loved ones.

Approaching the Victorian era, the food often given was a type of pastry called a soul cake. Something resembling a biscuit, or a cake.

Only in modern times has that tradition evolved into sweets and chocolate.

Creepy costumes and petrifying pumpkins
Well, we have the Celts to thank for that, too as that's when the costume wearing started.

Spooky outfits were worn to scare away any evil spirits lurking in the shadows of the celebrations.

Pumpkins however... that's an American thing.

Traditionally the Irish, who raised the popularity of Halloween during the 19th century when many immigrated to the U.S used to carve turnips.

Creepy faces would be carved into the vegetable to scare away a mythical spirit called Jack.

But as these new arrivals to America discovered, pumpkins were a a lot easier to grow.

And so, over time petrifying pumpkins became more popular, and replaced turnips on our doorsteps! That's not to say you can't still make a turnip terrifying!..

So there's our brief rundown on the history of Halloween. Have a safe and spooky time!

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