The origins of Halloween can be traced back to ancient Celtic festivals held around October 31. The Celts believed that on the festival of Samhain, the boundary between the living and the dead became blurred and spirits could roam the earth. They would dress in costumes and light bonfires to ward off evil spirits. When the Romans invaded Britain, they combined their harvest festival Pomona with the Celtic Samhain. After Christianity arrived in the British Isles, All Hallows' Eve was celebrated on October 31 and eventually became known as Halloween. Irish immigrants brought Halloween traditions to North America in the 19th century.
2. THE ORIGINS OF
HALLOWEEN
He origins of Halloween go back
very far, to the ancient Celts.
The Celts lived in the British
Isles during ancient times. They
were pagans. They believed in the
gods of nature.
3. There were two important festivals on
the Celtic calendar. One was called
Beltane . It marked the beginning of
summer. The other was called
Samhain. It marked the end of
summer, on October 31. Samhain was
also the last day of the years on the
Celtic calendar.
4. the Celts were afraid of winter . They
associated it with death and evil
spirits.
The Druids were Celtic priests and
teachers.
they were very important in Celtic
society.
Everyone respected them. They
practised magic and religious rituals.
5. Samhain, Octo
ber 31, was a
important day
for the
Druids. They
made big fires
to frighten
the spirits of
evil and death.
6. On October 31, the Druids
predicted the future. The Celtic
people dressed in scary costumes to
frighten the evil spirits. They
dressed as witches, ghosts and
skeletons. They also played games
to bring good luck in the new year.
7. The Celts believed that on the
night of October 31, ghosts came
out of their tombs. the spirits of
the dead returned to earth.
After the roman invasion in 43 AD.
Samhain also became a harvest
festival.
the Romans had a harvest festival
called Pomona.
8. Pomona was the roman goddess of
gardens and orchards. nuts, fruits
and apples were part of the
Samhain ceremonies. apples were
sacred and lucky. the colours of
Halloween are orange and black.
they represent the harvest
(orange) and death (black).
After the roman
invasion, Christian rites
9.
10. The first day of November was
the day of all saints for the
Christians. it was called all
hallows’ day (the day of all saints).
the evening of October 31 was all
hallows’ eve. This was shortened
to Halloween.
The Druid religion went on for a
long time in Ireland and Scotland.
Halloween continued to be
important in both places.
11. In the 19th century, Irish immigrants
brought their Halloween customs to
the united states. Now Halloween is
one of the biggest festivities in the
united states. The date is on every
American calendar.
The first day of November was the
day of all saints for the Christians. It
was called all hallows’ day (the day of
all saints). The evening of October 31
was all hallows’ eve. This was
shortened to Halloween.
