Wondering the History of Halloween? Here's How It All Began, Plus Spooky Halloween Fun Facts
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These days, Halloween is a time for trick-or-treating, dressing up in costumes, putting up your favorite Halloween decorations and watching scary movies. Modern Halloween traditions are all about enjoying some spooky fun (and plenty of candy)—but did you know that Halloween originated from an ancient Celtic holiday with a much deeper meaning? We're looking at the history of Halloween, as well as the story behind some of the symbols often associated with Halloween, from jack-o'-lanterns to black cats.
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What is the history of Halloween?
The modern holiday of Halloween traces its origins back to Samhain, an ancient Pagan festival that marked the end of summer and the harvest season and the beginning of the long winter, according to History.
Ancient Celts across what is now the UK, Ireland and northern France marked the day with bonfires and donned costumes to ward off ghosts of the dead, which they believed returned to Earth on that day.
By the 11th century, as Christianity spread over Celtic territory, the Roman Empire had established November 1 as All Saint’s Day, likely in an attempt to replace the older Celtic holiday with a Christian one, according to History. The night before All Saint’s Day came to be known as All-hallowmas, then All Hallows Eve, and eventually Halloween.
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How did the Halloween pumpkin start?
The tradition of carving jack-o’-lanterns for Halloween began in Ireland hundreds of years ago thanks to an old folktale about a man called Stingy Jack. According to legend, Jack played a trick on the Devil by convincing him to transform into a coin that he could use to pay for his drink, according to History.
But then Jack decided to keep the coin instead, storing it in his pocket next to a silver cross that the Devil could not change back into his true form. Jack played more tricks on the Devil throughout his life and when Jack died, both God and the Devil were upset with him and he was not allowed into Heaven or Hell. Instead, the Devil gave him a burning coal and sent him away.
As the folktale goes, Jack placed the burning coal inside a carved-out turnip and has been roaming the world with it ever since, according to History. He became known as “Jack of the Lantern” and eventually “Jack-o’-lantern.”
People in Ireland used to place lights inside turnips or potatoes as a reference to this legend. When Irish immigrants came to America, they began using pumpkins instead—and pumpkins have been associated with ghosts and Halloween ever since.
What's the meaning of Halloween?
Today, Halloween is a light-hearted holiday devoted to dressing up in costume, carving pumpkins, watching scary movies and going trick-or-treating.
The meaning of Halloween today is far removed from its darker origins in ancient Britain, Ireland and northern France—when people believed it was a night when the dead literally returned to the land of the living.
Who celebrates Halloween?
In the U.S., Halloween is a holiday for all ages. Young kids celebrate Halloween by dressing up in costumes, watching spooky movies, trick-or-treating and enjoying plenty of Halloween candy. Many adults also get into the Halloween spirit, dressing up and attending Halloween parties and festivals.
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10 Halloween Facts
American consumers planned to spend about $10 billion on Halloween in 2021.
In terms of spending on Halloween items, Americans spent the most on costumes in 2021, followed by candy (both categories were around $3 billion.
The most commonly handed-out candies to trick-or-treaters in the U.S. are chocolate bars, chocolate candies and soft or chewy candy, according to a 2018 survey by Statista. The least common snacks handed out? Baked items and fresh fruit/ fruit cups.
Americans spent around $377 million on jack-o’-lanterns during the Halloween season last year.
Americans shell out about $3.2 billion on Halloween costumes each year.
In 2021, 65% of Americans surveyed planned to celebrate Halloween.
The most popular pet costumes recently have been pumpkins, hot dogs and superheroes.
According to the NRF, the most popular kids' costumes in 2020 were princess, superhero and Spider-man.
As for adults? The most popular costumes for adults in 2019 were witch, vampire and superhero.
Social media is having a growing influence on what people buy during the Halloween season, from costumes to decorations. Last year, 14% of people surveyed by the NRF said that Instagram had influenced their Halloween spending, up from 7% in 2015.
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Why are black cats associated with Halloween?
Black cats have been a source of superstition for centuries in Europe, and have long been associated with witchcraft. In parts of Medieval Europe, some people believed that witches could take the form of black cats. Some also thought that the Devil gave black cats to witches to act as their animal companions, or “familiars,” according to Bustle.
Puritan pilgrims carried these beliefs to the American colonies, and during the hysteria over witchcraft in the 1500s and 1600s, black cats were feared and vilified, believed to be witches in disguise or otherwise associated with evil.
Even after the witchcraft hysteria died down in Europe and New England, black cats retained a reputation of being unlucky—and over time, they became the perfect eerie symbol to represent the spooky holiday of Halloween.
Related: History Facts
Superstitions about black cats persist even today, and some animal advocates say that black cats are less likely to be adopted than more brightly colored felines. Many animal organizations celebrate National Black Cat Day on Oct. 27, or else National Black Cat Appreciation Day on Aug. 17, to encourage people to adopt black cats.
Interestingly, not all cultures have historically viewed black cats as scary or unlucky. In ancient Egypt, in Japan, and in parts of Britain, black cats were traditionally thought to bring luck and prosperity.
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When did Halloween start?
There is no single date when Halloween started, as the celebration has its origins in an ancient Celtic festival that dates back at least 2,000 years. In the U.S., Halloween was popularized in the second half of the 19th century thanks to European immigrants bringing over the tradition, according to History.
What countries celebrate Halloween?
Countries around the world celebrate Halloween. While the U.S. may have popularized the modern-day traditions of pumpkin carving and trick-or-treating, these practices have been gradually spreading to other countries, especially in Europe—which, after all, is where Halloween can trace back its origins.
In Ireland, for example, people in rural areas light bonfires to mark the day, and some Irish children don costumes and go trick-or-treating, according to European Language Café. In Austria, some people apparently leave out bread, water and a lit lamp on Halloween night to welcome back the souls of their deceased loved ones.
Meanwhile, people in Mexico celebrate Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) from October 31 to November 2. As part of this tradition, which is tied to the Christian holidays of All Saint’s Day and All Soul’s Day, people build altars to welcome the souls of departed loved ones, who are believed to return to Earth for a brief time. Dia de Los Muertos is its own holiday and is not simply the Mexican version of Halloween, but because the two traditions overlap, they are often linked.
Halloween has also become more popular in parts of Asia, thanks partly to Western influences. Huge Halloween parades and shows take place every year in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore, according to Motion Elements.
When did kids’ trick-or-treating start?
Like Halloween itself, the tradition of trick-or-treating traces its origins back to the ancient Celtic holiday of Samhain. On that night, people believed that the dead returned to Earth, and people sometimes dressed up in costumes made of animal skins to keep evil spirits at bay, according to History.
Trick-or-treating may also have roots in a practice called “mumming” from the Middle Ages, when people would dress as ghosts or demons and perform skits or tricks in exchange for food and drink.
The practice of trick-or-treating could also have been inspired by an older tradition called “souling.” On All Soul’s Day—the Christian holiday that gradually replaced the older Celtic holiday of Samhain—poor people would visit richer people’s houses and pray for the souls of their departed loved ones in exchange for treats called soul cakes, according to History.
The modern practice of neighborhood trick-or-treating has been documented in the U.S. since the 1930s. The tradition of handing out sweet treats to trick-or-treaters took a hit during World War II when sugar was rationed, but in the 1950s, the practice returned in full force in the suburbs, and it has been a beloved Halloween tradition ever since.
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