The + trending The Tradition of October 31
EOn October 31, the costumes return and the bells ring as the children sing ‘Tricks Halloween Tricks’ to fill your pumpkins with candy. This tradition is so ingrained in our society that we have naturalized it without knowing its origin. Next one We’ll tell you everything you need to know about Halloween.
Halloween is an Anglo-Saxon holiday, so the term comes from the English contraction: All Hallows’ Eve which means All Hallows’ Eve. Its origin has several theories.
Celtic origin
In Celtic tradition, November 1 is commemorated as the feast of the samhain, name that comes from Old English and is related to the end of summer. In this celebration the harvest season was over and the beginning of a new year, which coincides with the autumn solstice.
In Celtic culture it was thought that On the night of October 31, the barrier between the world of the living and the dead was liftedso that the souls of the dead could travel on Earth.
People they wore disguises to hide from evil souls. Bonfires were lit and rites were made to communicate with the dead so that they would find rest.
Roman and Christian Transformation
With the rise of the Roman Empire and the conquest of the Celts, the Samhain took part in the Roman celebration of the Feast of the Harvest. In this celebration that took place in the last days of October, tribute was paid to the Pomona, Roman goddess protector of trees and fruits.
With the spread of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire, the paid origin festivals were replaced by the celebration of the eve of All Saints’ Day
The celebration of Halloween as we know it today is due to: the arrival of the Irish to the United States and Canada in 1840, who celebrated this date, but without all the hype with which we know it.
The holiday grew thanks to Elizabeth Krebs, who turned it into a dress-up and party in 1912, but it was until 1921 that it became popular with the Day Parade that took place in Minnesota.
Being an entirely North American party, it spread all over the world in the 79’s and 80’s the influence of Hollywood and television series.
In Colombia, Halloween is celebrated on October 31. Although tradition dictates that the costumes be for the night, children and people in costumes can be seen in the streets all day long.
That evening the children get dressed and They go outside to ask for candy in their pumpkins while singing the popular ‘Triki Triki halloween’.
Costumes aren’t just for kids. More and more adults are joining the party. They go to work in their best costume and on weekends there are parties in bars and houses where it is mandatory to be dressed up.
At the Samhain festival, people dressed up to protect themselves from evil spirits, but they also cut terrifying faces on edible tubers they had in their crops, mainly turnips, which they emptied and put a candle in to reflect the gloomy face.
When the Irish came to America and Canada, they didn’t have their turnip crops, so… They used pumpkins, the most common product in the region.
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