October 27, 2025 by Kayla Magnus (‘29)
Halloween is a holiday many Americans especially know and love. It is celebrated in lots of countries and is adored by most. Halloween has always been a part of our lives, most of us probably even know what we were for our first Halloween. October 31st is a staple in many kids’ childhoods, parents taking you and maybe some siblings and friends out trick or treating, finally getting to show off your costume that you had been planning for months. Maybe you’re dressed up as a princess, black cat, witch, fireman, police officer- there’s so many options. Eating so much candy that night that you wake up with a stomachache. Then you become a tween or early teen and start doing group costumes with your friends and even though your parents told you to be careful since you were alone, you had the best night ever running from house to house in the dark getting as much candy as you could to fill your pillowcase. Then came parties. When we get told we’re too old to trick or treat, most teenagers go to parties and have the time of their lives there. Then when you’re an adult you’ll probably stay home and watch scary movies, occasionally handing out candy to any trick or treaters. Finally, the loop starts again when you possibly have children of your own and are now the ones bringing the children trick or treating. Of course, Halloween is a night where you must be extra cautious because of all the danger it brings, but it’s also a night that’s brought joy to so many kids. This is the story of how it originated.
Halloween and its traditions began with the Celtic festival Samhain. Samhain was celebrated in many parts of Europe where their new year was celebrated on November 1st. Samhain and the new year marked the beginning of winter, which was a dreary, cold, sad season often associated with death. On Samhain it was believed that the wall dividing the world of the living and the world of the dead faded. So, on October 31st , the ghosts of those who passed before us return to the world of the living.
Many of the traditions that most participate in during the Halloween season originated from a combination of Roman and Celtic traditions. The Romans celebrated “Feralia,” which honored the deceased during late October. They also worshiped the goddess “Pomona” of fruit and trees, and yes, she was the inspiration for bobbing for apples. The Halloween tradition of carving jack o’ lanterns originated from a legend about a guy who trapped the devil in return for a promise to never be sent to hell. But when he died, he was unwanted in heaven, so for the rest of time all he does is wander the earth aimlessly as a ghost. The man was given a carved out turnip with a burning piece of coal to light his way, inspiring people to carve frightening faces into their own turnips and pumpkins to ward off bad spirits.
Additionally, the tradition of dressing up in a scary costume originated from people wanting to blend in with all the evil spirits walking around on Samhain, hoping to avoid being terrorized by them. Lastly, Halloween’s staple colors of orange and black. Where did these come from? Well, orange is meant to represent the harvest that autumn brings while black represents the death of summer and the beginning of the treacherous winter months.
All of these legends and traditions melded together to create this holiday celebrated on the 31st of October, a day that would slowly be taken over by candy advertisements and American-ized flare. While what this holiday has become today is fun and exciting to children all over the United States particularly, how it developed into such a popular event is something even more interesting. Happy Halloween Toga!