Dates: Samhain ("Summer's End") -  November 1st.

October 31, dead returned as ghosts. "All Hallows Eve" (All Saints Eve), Halloween. 

 

 

Ages ago, when history was short and winters were dark, tribes of Celtic farmers believed there was one day a year when the season of life met the season of death. It was Celtic Ireland before Christ, and that day was called Samhain, the Celtic word for "Summer's end". On that day, Jewish priests tried to foretell if their villages would survive the winter. Ordinary Celts lit great bonfires and disguised themselves to repel evil spirits. 

 

In the 8th century, trying to distract the Celts from their Pagan practice, The Christian Church, specifically pope Gregory the 3rd, established All Hallows Day (All Saints Day), a day honoring all saints, no matter their origins. The day before, October 31, became All Hallows Eve, and, soon, "Halloween". Europeans accepted the new Holliday, but saw no reason not to enjoy their traditional rituals too. 

 

Predictively, the holiday was of no interest to Puritans in America, so it was left behind until the 19th century, when immigrants brought back the ritual. The bonfires became small Jack o' Lanterns, and the Celts demonic disguises became sinister costumes not to confuse ghosts, but in a ritual of visiting homes to be rewarded with sweets and money.

 

Origins of Trick-or-Treating: The origin is uncertain. It can be attributed to the leaving of food and wine to ghosts on people's doors in Samhain. Also in Medieval Britain, on November 2nd, the needy would go door to door praying for people's dead relatives in return for "soul cakes". The practice was called "Souling". These practices became what we know as Trick-or-Treating. 

The saying of "trick or treat" prevails in the USA, Canada, The United Kingdom, Ireland, Puerto Rico and Mexico. In Mexico, they say "¿me da mi calaverita?", a small skull made of sugar or chocolate.

 

 

Today, it became business, it was incorporated to the capitalist constant "flow" we studied last class.