What Was Halloween Called Before It Became Known As Halloween

Ever wondered what our ancestors were up to on the night we now call Halloween? Well, grab a pumpkin spice latte, get comfy, and let's take a little stroll through history together.

Samhain: The Original Halloween

In the olden days, before trick-or-treating was a thing, and jack-o'-lanterns were just turnips, the Celts had a festival called Samhain. It was like their New Year's Eve, but instead of counting down to a new year, they were counting down to a new season - winter.

Imagine it like this: you're a Celt, living in Ireland, and it's late October. The days are getting shorter, the nights are getting colder, and you're thinking, "Alright, folks, it's time to hunker down and prepare for the long, dark winter ahead." That's basically what Samhain was all about.

When Worlds Collide

Now, the Celts believed that on the night of Samhain, the boundary between our world and the otherworld became blurred. It was like when you're trying to decide between a horror movie and a comedy on Netflix - you're stuck in that moment of indecision, and anything could happen!

So, they thought that on this night, ghosts of the dead could return to earth. But don't worry, it wasn't like a scary movie. The Celts believed these ghosts were friendly and could even predict the future. It was like having your grandma over for dinner, except she could tell you what numbers were going to come up on the lottery!

Halloween: From Ireland to America - The Rider Newspaper

Roman Influence

Fast forward a few hundred years, and the Romans are in town. They bring with them two festivals: Feralia, a day to commemorate the dead, and Pomona, a day to honor the goddess of fruit and trees. Guess what? Pomona's symbol was the apple, which is where our tradition of bobbing for apples comes from!

So, the Romans mix their festivals with the Celtic Samhain, and what do you get? A new festival called All Hallows' Eve. It's like when you mix your favorite chocolate bar with your favorite ice cream - you get something even better!

History Of Halloween at Pamela Walsh blog

All Hallows' Eve Becomes Halloween

Now, let's jump to the Middle Ages. The Church makes November 1st All Saints' Day and November 2nd All Souls' Day. The night before, October 31st, is known as All Hallows' Eve, or as we now call it, Halloween.

But why should you care about all this history, you ask? Well, it's like when you're at a party, and someone asks, "How do you know the host?" You can say, "Oh, we go way back. I've known them since before they were even cool!" Except in this case, you're talking about a holiday that's been around for thousands of years.

So, the next time you're carving a pumpkin or eating a candy apple, remember, you're taking part in a tradition that's older than sliced bread (well, almost). And that, my friend, is pretty darn cool.