Halloween

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This is Halloween!

Also called All Hallows' Eve or All Hallows' Evening a holy or hallowed evening, observed on October 31, the eve of All Saints' Day. In modern times, it is the occasion for pranks and for children requesting treats or threatening tricks.

In ancient Britain and Ireland, the Celtic festival of Samhain eve was observed on October 31, at the end of summer. This date was also the eve of the new year in both Celtic and Anglo-Saxon times and was the occasion for one of the ancient fire festivals when huge bonfires were set on hilltops to frighten away evil spirits. The date was connected with the return of herds from pasture, and laws and land tenures were renewed. The souls of the dead were thought to revisit their homes on this day, and the autumnal festival acquired sinister significance, with ghosts, witches, hobgoblins, black cats, fairies, and demons of all kinds said to be roaming about. It was the time to placate the supernatural powers controlling the processes of nature. In addition, Halloween was thought to be the most favourable time for divinations concerning marriage, luck, health, and death.

The pagan observances influenced the Christian festival of All Hallows' Eve, celebrated on the same date. Gradually, Halloween became a secular observance, and many customs and practices developed. In Scotland young people assembled for games to ascertain which of them would marry during the year and in what order the marriages would occur. Many Halloween customs have become games played by children.

Immigrants to the United States, particularly the Irish, introduced secular Halloween customs that became popular in the late 19th century. Mischief-making on this occasion by boys and young men included overturning sheds and outhouses and breaking windows, and damage to property was sometimes severe. In later years, the occasion has come to be observed mainly by small children, who go from house to house, often in costume, demanding "trick or treat" (the treat, often candy, is generally given and the trick rarely played). Since 1965, UNICEF, an agency of the United Nations, has attempted to incorporate into the Halloween observance the collection of money for the United Nations Children's Fund.

A common symbol of Halloween is the jack-o'-lantern (the name possibly was derived from that for a night watchman). It is a hollowed-out pumpkin carved to resemble a face and with a lighted candle fixed inside. In Scotland a turnip was used, but the native pumpkin was substituted in the United States.

Halloween news

Updated every 30 minutes

American Idol star ties the knot: Castro and Mayhall announced their engagement in November; it is reported that he proposed on Halloween while they were dressed as characters from Disney's ...
DWI bust ends 'crime spree': He was later charged with stealing a car and crashing it into a house Oct. 24; robbing a 17-year-old boy of $300 on Halloween; and punching a man in the ...
Man's Halloween night out turns into nightmare; more witnesses sought in the ...: By Ruby Gonzales, Staff Writer INDUSTRY - Halloween 2004. Car salesman Miguel Pinto of El Monte and two friends were enjoying their night out until they met ...
Serial rapist suspected in Prince William Halloween assaults: By Maria Glod A masked man who raped two Prince William County teenagers as they returned home from trick-or-treating Halloween night has been linked to a ...

Halloween

This is Halloween!

Halloween Content

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Halloween news

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Baby Halloween costumes

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Children's Halloween costumes

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Adult Halloween costumes

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Halloween dog costumes

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Halloween games

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