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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 this explanation 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 this explanation suggests, Halloween is observed on the day before [[All Saints Day]].

Connecting Halloween to [[Samhain]], Ireland's All Saints Day, and portraying this holiday as pagan was once a way to discredit Catholic practice. In modern times, the same theories serve a neo-pagan agenda. Both groups end up portraying the devoutly Catholic Ireland of the 18th and 19th centuries as a land of paganism.

Connecting Halloween to [[Samhain]], Ireland's All Saints Day, and portraying this holiday as pagan was once a way to discredit Catholic practice. In modern times, the same theories serve a [[neo-pagan]] agenda. Both groups end up portraying the devoutly Catholic Ireland of the 18th and 19th centuries as a land of paganism.

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 spread of the holiday owes much to a poem written by [[Robert Burns]] in 1785. With the Industrial Revolution crushing long-established traditions, the Victorians turned to revivalism to retain connection with the past. The modern child-oriented version of the holiday was established by the early 1900s.

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 spread of the holiday owes much to a poem written by [[Robert Burns]] in 1785. With the Industrial Revolution crushing long-established traditions, the Victorians turned to revivalism to retain connection with the past. The modern child-oriented version of the holiday was established by the early 1900s.

Church views on this holiday are varied: some consider it pagan and refuse to have any association with it, while others see it as an opportunity for outreach to children and their parents.  Among the latter, some churches encourage members to pass out tracts along with candy, others offer "trunk-or-treat" (or "fall festival") events to provide a safe environment for children).

Church views on this holiday are varied: some consider it pagan and refuse to have any association with it, while others see it as an opportunity for outreach to children and their parents.  Among the latter, some churches encourage members to pass out tracts along with candy, others offer "trunk-or-treat" (or "fall festival") events to provide a safe environment for children).

The colors orange and black are associated with Halloween (black commonly represents death, while orange represents the harvest and reflects the influence of Samhain), as well as costumes of witches, ghosts, famous monsters, skeletons, and devils. Seasonal foods include caramel apples, pumpkins, pumpkin pie, caramel corn, and candies.

The colors orange and black are associated with Halloween, as well as costumes of witches, ghosts, famous monsters, skeletons, and devils. Seasonal foods include caramel apples, pumpkins, pumpkin pie, caramel corn, and candies.

==History==

==History==

In medieval times, it was thought that the living could help the souls of the dead escape purgatory on All Souls' Day (Nov. 2) by lighting bonfires and by other activities. When the Reformation swept Scotland in May 1559, All Saints' Day (Nov. 1), All Souls' Day, and other Catholic holidays were suppressed. At this time, Halloween was simply the before All Saints Day and not an independent festival. Bonfires are one of the oldest and most persistent Halloween observances. This practice could have transferred from All Souls Day.

Bonfires are one of the oldest and most persistent Halloween observances. They were not only a holiday observance, but also a way to dispose of brush in the autumn. The practice could have transferred from All Souls Day to Halloween at the time of the Reformation.

Worried that a Halloween bonfire might get out of hand, the Cupar Presbytery in Fife issued this order in 1649:{{cquote|It is recommended to severall brethren to be carefull to intimat in their several kirkis, wpon the Sabaths immediatly before Midsommer and hallowewen, that no fyres  be set on, wpon these nightis.<ref>''[https://special-collections.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/2019/10/31/alhallow-evin-in-scotland/ Cupar Presbytery Minutes]'', 8 March 1649, CH2/82/1.</ref>}}Englishman Thomas Pennant gave an account of the Halloween bonfires that he witnessed on a visit to Scotland in 1772. Such bonfires were used to remove refuse after the harvest:{{cquote|Hallow eve is also kept sacred: as soon as it is dark, a person sets fire to a bush of broom fastened round a pole; and, attended with a crowd, runs round the village. He then flings it down, keeps great quantity of combustible matters in it, and makes a great bonfire. A whole tract is thus illuminated at the same time, and makes a fine appearance.<ref>Pennant, Thomas, ''[https://archive.org/details/tourinscotlandvo01penn/page/46/mode/2up A Tour in Scotland],'' Part II (London, 1772), p. 47.</ref>}}

Worried that a Halloween bonfire might get out of hand, the Cupar Presbytery in Fife issued this order in 1649:{{cquote|It is recommended to severall brethren to be carefull to intimat in their several kirkis, wpon the Sabaths immediatly before Midsommer and hallowewen, that no fyres  be set on, wpon these nightis.<ref>''[https://special-collections.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/2019/10/31/alhallow-evin-in-scotland/ Cupar Presbytery Minutes]'', 8 March 1649, CH2/82/1.</ref>}}Englishman Thomas Pennant gave an account of the Halloween bonfires that he witnessed on a visit to Scotland in 1772. Such bonfires were used to remove refuse after the harvest:{{cquote|Hallow eve is also kept sacred: as soon as it is dark, a person sets fire to a bush of broom fastened round a pole; and, attended with a crowd, runs round the village. He then flings it down, keeps great quantity of combustible matters in it, and makes a great bonfire. A whole tract is thus illuminated at the same time, and makes a fine appearance.<ref>Pennant, Thomas, ''[https://archive.org/details/tourinscotlandvo01penn/page/46/mode/2up A Tour in Scotland],'' Part II (London, 1772), p. 47.</ref>}}

====John Mayne and Robert Burns====

====John Mayne and Robert Burns====

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,” it says.<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,” it says.<ref>Mayne, John, "[https://www.poetryexplorer.net/poem.php?id=10105857 Halloween]" (1780).</ref> Mayne gave an explanation of the holiday in a footnote:{{cquote|Hallow-E'en, or Holy Eve, is the evening previous to the celebration of All Saints. That it is propitious to the rites of divination, is an opinion still common in many parts of Scotland.}}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. It mentions fairies and mischief making, but also cutting apples and winnowing corn. So it seems that the Scottish holiday had retained features of a harvest festival. As poetry, it is overly long and not among Burns's best. But the poem is carefully studied by those interested in Scottish folklore and festivals.<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 gave an explanation of the holiday in a footnote:{{cquote|Hallow-E'en, or Holy Eve, is the evening previous to the celebration of All Saints. That it is propitious to the rites of divination, is an opinion still common in many parts of Scotland.}}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. It mentions fairies and mischief making, but also cutting apples and winnowing corn. So it seems that the Scottish holiday had retained features of a harvest festival. As poetry, it is overly long and not among Burns's best. But the poem is carefully studied by those interested in Scottish folklore and festivals.<ref>[https://interestingliterature.com/2018/10/a-short-analysis-of-robert-burns-halloween/ A Short Analysis of Robert Burns’s ‘Halloween’]", ''Interesting Literature''</ref>

===Victorian revivalism===

===Victorian revivalism===