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[[Image:Halloween.gif|right|thumb]]'''Halloween''' is a holiday associated with candy, ghosts, trick or treating, and the supernatural observed on October 31. The name is shortened from All Hallows' Eve. "Hallow" means saint. As the name suggests, Halloween is observed on the day before All Saints' Day.

[[Image:Halloween.gif|right|thumb]]'''Halloween''' is a holiday associated with candy, ghosts, trick or treating, and the supernatural observed on October 31. The name is shortened from All Hallows' Eve. "Hallow" means saint. As the name suggests, Halloween is observed on the day before All Saints' Day.

Connecting Halloween to pagan festivals was once a way to discredit Catholic practice. In modern times, these theories serve a neo-pagan agenda. Both groups end up portraying devoutly Catholic Ireland of the 18th and 19th centuries as a land of paganism. The Irish continued to observe Samhain on November 1, but by this time it was simply a harvest festival.

Connecting Halloween to pagan festivals was once a way to discredit Catholic practice. In modern times, these theories serve a neo-pagan agenda. Both groups end up portraying devoutly Catholic Ireland of the 18th and 19th centuries as a land of paganism. All Saints' Day is called ''Samhain'' in Gaelic, but this should not be interpreted to mean that a pagan festival survived a thousand years of Christianity.

The earliest descriptions of Halloween as a festival refer, not to Ireland at all, but to late 18th century Scotland. The festival combines elements of several holidays that were suppressed in the 16th century as a result of the [[Reformation]].

The earliest descriptions of Halloween as a festival refer, not to Ireland at all, but to late 18th century Scotland. The festival combines elements of several holidays that were suppressed in the 16th century as a result of the [[Reformation]].

With the Industrial Revolution crushing long-established traditions, the Victorians turned to revivalism. Inspired by the work of John Maynes, Roger Burns, and Sir Walter Scott, they put on costumes for Halloween parties. The modern child-oriented version of the holiday was established by the early 1900s.

With the Industrial Revolution crushing long-established traditions, the Victorians turned to revivalism. Inspired by the work of John Maynes, Roger Burns, and Sir Walter Scott, they put on costumes for Halloween parties.<ref name="Holt"/> The modern child-oriented version of the holiday was established by the early 1900s.

==Etymology==

==Etymology==

===Scottish origins===

===Scottish origins===

====The Celtic calendar====

====The Celtic calendar====

In Scot's Gaelic, All Saints' Day is ''samhuinn'', equivalent to Irish Samhain. Both words are thought to be variants of ''sam-fuin'', which means summer's end.<ref>MacBain, Alexander, ''An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language'', Gairm Publications, Glasgow, 1982. "'''samhuinn''', Hallow-tide, Ir. [samhain], E.Ir. [samuin], [samain], [samfhuin]: usually regarded as for [*sam-fuin], "summer-end", from [sam], summer, and [fuin], end, sunset."</ref> The name suggests that November 1 was once a harvest festival. It was the most widely celebrated of the Celtic holidays. The others were Beltaine, now on May 1, Imbolc on February 1, and Lugnasad on August 1.<ref>MacLeod, Sharon Praice, ''Celtic Myth and Religion'' (2012), p. 14.</ref>

In Scot's Gaelic, All Saints' Day is ''samhuinn'', equivalent to Irish Samhain. Both words are thought to be variants of ''sam-fuin'', which means summer's end.<ref>MacBain, Alexander, ''An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language'', Gairm Publications, Glasgow, 1982. "'''samhuinn''', Hallow-tide, Ir. [samhain], E.Ir. [samuin], [samain], [samfhuin]: usually regarded as for [*sam-fuin], "summer-end", from [sam], summer, and [fuin], end, sunset."</ref> The name suggests that November 1 was once a harvest festival. It was the most widely celebrated of the Celtic holidays. It is paired with Beltaine on May 1 so that the Celtic year is split into two halves.<ref>MacLeod, Sharon Praice, ''Celtic Myth and Religion'' (2012), p. 14.</ref>

[[File:Halloween skull.jpg|thumb|left]]These dates may have transferred from an earlier lunisolar calendar. A pre-Christian Celtic calendar has been reconstructed from second century BC calendars found in the French towns of Coligny and Villards d'Heria. The first month on this calendar is called ''Samonios'' and contains the summer solstice. The calendar drifts by nearly a day every year, so the link to the solstices, equinoxes, and other solar dates was never precise.<ref>Olmsted, Garrett (1992). ''The Gaulish calendar: a reconstruction from the bronze fragments from Coligny, with an analysis of its function as a highly accurate lunar-solar predictor, as well as an explanation of its terminology and development,'' p. 193.<br/>The calendar has a five year cycle of 1831 days. This is off by 4.79 days, or nearly a day a year.</ref>

[[File:Halloween skull.jpg|thumb|left]]These dates may have transferred from an earlier lunisolar calendar. A pre-Christian Celtic calendar has been reconstructed from second century BC calendars found in the French towns of Coligny and Villards d'Heria. The first month on this calendar is called ''Samonios'' and contains the summer solstice. The calendar drifts by nearly a day every year, so the link to the solstices, equinoxes, and other solar dates was never precise.<ref>Olmsted, Garrett (1992). ''The Gaulish calendar: a reconstruction from the bronze fragments from Coligny, with an analysis of its function as a highly accurate lunar-solar predictor, as well as an explanation of its terminology and development,'' p. 193.<br/>The calendar has a five year cycle of 1831 days. This is off by 4.79 days, or nearly a day a year.</ref>

A poem written in 1780 by John Mayne of Dumfries describes a Scottish Halloween festival. The poem mentions both pranks and trick or treating. “There’s few [festivals] in Scotland held mair dear,” according to the poem.<ref>Mayne, John, "[https://www.poetryexplorer.net/poem.php?id=10105857 Halloween]" (1780).</ref>

A poem written in 1780 by John Mayne of Dumfries describes a Scottish Halloween festival. The poem mentions both pranks and trick or treating. “There’s few [festivals] in Scotland held mair dear,” according to the poem.<ref>Mayne, John, "[https://www.poetryexplorer.net/poem.php?id=10105857 Halloween]" (1780).</ref>

Mayne's poem inspired [[Robert Burns]] to write "Hallowe’en" in 1785. Burns is sometimes described as, "Scotland's favorite son." He gave an extended description of the celebration. "Upon that night, when fairies light," according to the poem. Burns's Halloween mentions fairies and mischief making, but also cutting apples and winnowing corn. So the Scottish holiday retained features of a harvest festival.<ref>[https://interestingliterature.com/2018/10/a-short-analysis-of-robert-burns-halloween/ A Short Analysis of Robert Burns’s ‘Halloween’]", ''Interesting Literature''</ref>

Mayne's poem inspired [[Robert Burns]] to write "Hallowe’en" in 1785. Burns is sometimes described as, "Scotland's favorite son." He gave an extended description of the celebration. "Upon that night, when fairies light," according to the poem. Burns's poem mentions fairies and mischief making, but also cutting apples and winnowing corn. So it seems that the Scottish holiday retained features of a harvest festival.<ref>[https://interestingliterature.com/2018/10/a-short-analysis-of-robert-burns-halloween/ A Short Analysis of Robert Burns’s ‘Halloween’]", ''Interesting Literature''</ref>

===American Halloween===

===American Halloween===

[[File:Halloween.jpg|thumb|left]]In popular history, the origin of Halloween is connected to Ireland and to Irish immigration to the United States. In her thesis, Karen Hybertsen argues that the holiday entered mainstream American culture in the late 19th century and in Protestant settings.<ref>Hybertsen (1993), p. 10.</ref> This suggests that Victorian revivalism is a more likely source of the holiday than Irish immigration.<ref>An illustrated 1887 book of Halloween costumes is a example of such revivalism. (Holt, Ardern, ''Fancy Dresses Described, or What to Wear at Fancy Balls'' (1887). See "[https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/52990/26-halloween-costume-ideas-1887-guide-fancy-dress 26 Halloween Costume Ideas from an 1887 Guide to Fancy Dress].")</ref>  

[[File:Halloween.jpg|thumb|left]]In popular history, the origin of Halloween is connected to Ireland and to Irish immigration to the United States. In her thesis, Karen Hybertsen argues that the holiday entered mainstream American culture in the late 19th century and in Protestant settings.<ref>Hybertsen (1993), p. 10.</ref> This suggests that Victorian revivalism is a more likely source of the holiday than Irish immigration.<ref name="Holt">For an example of Victorian revivalism, see  "[https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/52990/26-halloween-costume-ideas-1887-guide-fancy-dress 26 Halloween Costume Ideas from an 1887 Guide to Fancy Dress]."</ref>  

By the middle of the 19th century, Americans substituted pumpkins for turnips and secular costumes for those of saints. By the 1920s, there were community efforts to sanitize the carnival spirit and reduce vandalism. Trick-or-treating became common around 1940. It further transformed Halloween into a rite of consumerism and moving the age profile to younger children.

By the middle of the 19th century, Americans substituted pumpkins for turnips and secular costumes for those of saints. By the 1920s, there were community efforts to sanitize the carnival spirit and reduce vandalism. Trick-or-treating became common around 1940. It further transformed Halloween into a rite of consumerism and moving the age profile to younger children.