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Emily Preuss-Anderson

History of Halloween Resources. HistoryofHalloweenPowerPoint 1. History of Halloween. Halloween is among the oldest traditions in the world as it touches on an essential element of the human condition: the relationship between the living and the dead.

Every recorded civilization has created some form of ritual observance focused on what happens to people when they die, where they go, and how the living should best honor those who have passed or respond to the dead who seem unwilling or unable to move on. Halloween: Origins, Meaning & Traditions. Halloween is a holiday celebrated each year on October 31, and Halloween 2020 will occur on Saturday, October 31.

The tradition originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor all saints. October 31. On the night of October 31, many Americans celebrate the traditions of Halloween by dressing in costumes and telling tales of witches and ghosts.

Children go from house to house—to “trick or treat”—collecting candy along the way. Communities also hold parades and parties. …I heard a rustle in the hall. It sounded like the swish of a taffeta skirt. I looked up at the door and saw the figure of a woman go past. Halloween History. Samhain - Traditions, Halloween, Wicca. Samhain is a pagan religious festival originating from an ancient Celtic spiritual tradition.

In modern times, Samhain (a Gaelic word pronounced “sow-win”) is usually celebrated from October 31 to November 1 to welcome in the harvest and usher in “the dark half of the year.” Celebrants believe that the barriers between the physical world and the spirit world break down during Samhain, allowing more interaction between humans and denizens of the Otherworld. Ancient Samhain Ancient Celts marked Samhain as the most significant of the four quarterly fire festivals, taking place at the midpoint between the fall equinox and the winter solstice.

During this time of year, hearth fires in family homes were left to burn out while the harvest was gathered. After the harvest work was complete, celebrants joined with Druid priests to light a community fire using a wheel that would cause friction and spark flames. Samhain Monsters. Knowledge Network. Wild Kratts Animal Masks Looking fo r a Halloween mask?

Check out these animal masks from Wild Kratts. Halloween: Today In History Check out some primary source ephemera related to Halloween including oral history interviews, posters, song, and stories. Source: Library of Congress American Memory Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Varies Teacher/Parent Section: Yes Searchable: Yes PBS Kids Halloween Check out some great Halloween activities, ideas, and more! Spooky Astronomy Learn more about Halloween's role as a "cross-quarter date. " History of Halloween. Parents and kids alike are gearing up for Halloween, scrambling to put the final touches on costumes and Jack-o'-lanterns, not to mention stocking up on candy for Trick or Treaters.

But before you rush out on Thursday, Oct. 31, for what some consider the spookiest day of the year, here’s a look back at the origins of Halloween and all of its odd traditions. Samhain Halloween, also known as All Hallows' Eve, can be traced back about 2,000 years to a pre-Christian Celtic festival held around Nov. 1 called Samhain (pronounced "sah-win"), loosely translates to "summer's end" in Gaelic, according to the Indo-European Etymological Dictionaries. [13 Halloween Superstitions & Traditions Explained] Because ancient records are sparse and fragmentary, the exact nature of Samhain is not fully understood; but it was an annual communal meeting at the end of the harvest year, a time to gather resources for the winter months and bring animals back from the pastures.

Costumes and trick-or-treating. History of Halloween - Documentary. [Witch of the Wave Reel] The Library of Congress is not aware of any U.S. copyright protection (see Title 17, U.S.C.) or any other restrictions in the material in this collection, except as noted below.

Users should keep in mind that the Library of Congress is providing access to these materials strictly for educational and research purposes. The written permission of the copyright owners and/or other holders of rights (such as publicity and/or privacy rights) is required for distribution, reproduction, or other use of protected items beyond that allowed by fair use or other statutory exemptions. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item and securing any necessary permissions ultimately rests with persons desiring to use the item.

See our Legal Notices for additional information and restrictions. Photographs in this collection produced by Carl Fleischhauer, Karen Singer Jabbour, and Kit Olson are reproduced here with their permission. Search results for Photo, Print, Drawing, Halloween, Available Online. Photo, Print, Drawing Halloween!

1 drawing. Contributor: Berryman, Clifford Kennedy Date: 1932 Photo, Print, Drawing Halloween 1 drawing. | Cartoon shows two children (labeled "Irreconcilable") cowering in fright at the sight of a large Jack-o-lantern labeled "U.S. Participation in Reparations Inquiry. "