The History of Halloween

THE HISTORY OF HALLOWEEN ScaryVisions .com

My Mission Who Am I What To Expect
You have downloaded or received this I consider myself a Halloween and I hope you enjoy this brief summary of
e-book because you are a true fan of Haunted House fan. I remember trick-or- The History Of Halloween. I have
Halloween or want to know more about treating in the 70’s and 80’s, walking included my interview with Lesley
one of the most popular holidays in the miles in the rain with pillow cases full of Bannatyne that I wrote just before the
world. Halloween didn’t start out as candy. I still feel the excitement and release of her book Halloween Nation.
Halloween and the progression over energy from my first haunted attraction Please feel free to share this book with
many years has always fascinated me. from over 20 years ago. I have operated others. Or send them to my website for
From the traditions of the Europeans to a haunted attraction, acted as many more information. I will be adding
the Haunted Attractions of today; characters, and still decorate my garage products for sale and more free content
Halloween has touched millions of and backyard for trick-or-treaters in the future.
people with its unusual tactics and today. I write articles at
If you want to contact me, here is my
beliefs. scaryvisions.com and I am currently
information and the places I hang out.
building a Halloween, Haunt, and Horror
In this e-book you will read a summary Enjoy the book!
website at haunTopic.com.
of where Halloween was born and how
Scaryvisions.com
it became what it is today. Of course I Over the years, I have always been
could not fit all aspects of this dark confused about what my passions were haunTopic.com
holiday in one book but stay tuned for and what I wanted to do when I grew
more information in the future. I want to up. I have dabbled in many business Facebook
create more information about ventures and always came back to Twitter
Halloween and products specifically for something Halloween related. The
creatives in the dark arts. If you have Haunted Attraction business allows me Linked In
any ideas on products you would like to to be involved all year long. To be Email: brian@scaryvisions.com
see in the future, you’ll find my email at creative, to help others, and to tap into
the end of this page. my dark side. It has always been there.

~2~


breast-armour made out of chains. But possible to bring good luck by
The Birth Of Halloween most content themselves with the worshipping the spirits. They built bon
Halloween has transformed into a weapons nature gave them: they go fires and wore costumes made of animal
different type of monster since its birth. naked into battle…Weird, discordant skins and heads to ward of the evil
Today’s Halloween has been created horns were sounded, [they shouted in spirits and welcome the good. Many of
from a mix of different customs and chorus with their] deep and harsh today’s Halloween traditions were
religions: Celtic beliefs, Catholic rituals, voices, they beat their swords started here: costume parties, fire,
and European folk traditions. Halloween rhythmically against their shields…the parades, and spiritual magic.
was first born in the regions that are Celts cut off their enemies’ heads and
These traditions changed over time as
now known as France, Ireland, and the nailed them over the doors of their huts
the Romans took over and new customs
United Kingdom over 2,000 years ago in exactly the same way as hunters do
were adopted. Christianity became the
by the Celts. Before we go into with their skulls of the animals they
primary religion by the 800’s and the
traditions, you need a more visual have slain…they preserved the heads of
Pope declared November 1 as All Saint’s
description of who the Celts were. their most high-ranking victims in cedar
Day and the night before became
Diodorus, a Roman historian described oil, keeping them carefully in wooden
known as All Hollow’s Eve or Halloween.
them like this: boxes.”

“Their aspect is terrifying…They are November 1 was an important date to
very tall in stature, with rhythmic the Celts. Preparing for the grim and
muscles under clear white skin…They harsh winter months ahead, many Celts
look like wood-demons, their hair thick realized that they could lose their entire
and shaggy like a horse’s mane….The food supply or maybe lose a loved one
way they dress is astonishing: they due to the unfavorable living conditions.
wear brightly coloured and embroidered In order to prepare for this dismal time
shirts and cloaks…they wear bronze of the year, the Celts held a festival call
helmets with figures picked out on Samhain (sow-in: “summer’s end”) on
them, even horns, which made them October 31. They believed that on this
look even taller than they already day the blurred space between life and
are…while others cover themselves with death became clear and that it was

~3~


been a toasty gathering around a fire with parades, school parties, and
Halloween in America with celebrants eating nuts and telling township involvement- more like
As the Europeans migrated to America, stories; in the Ozarks, Halloween may today’s traditional holiday.
they carried their customs with them. have been a barn dance and a grinning
But not all areas of the country contest.” –Lesley Bannatyne
accepted the strange rituals and many
The climax of the Halloween movement
people were forced to hide their beliefs;
was thanks to the potato famine in
especially in the Northeastern colonies
Ireland in 1846. Many Irish immigrants
where the Protestants-known as the
came to America to find new
Puritans-settled. Many other colonies
opportunities and brought a new force
still celebrated All Saints Day but with
of Halloween with them. Their beliefs
all the different ethnic types; a new
combined with the rituals of the blacks,
type of Halloween was created. Not
Germans, English, and Scots led to
with animal heads and sacrifices; but
peddling door to door for money and
with fortune telling, ghost stories,
food. By the late 1800’s, the media and
dancing, and singing. These “play Click on the picture to watch this 45
politicians suggested making Halloween
parties” were usually held in community
a kinder and gentler holiday by toning it minute video from The History Channel
buildings to celebrate a bountiful for a more in depth understanding of
down. Suggesting everything
harvest and stoke the romance as
frightening and grotesque be removed the history of Halloween. If you have a
winter covered the landscape. difficult time loading this video check
from the celebrations and more focused
Halloween became a different entity
on games, food, and costumes. out the link at:
based on where a person lived and what http://youtu.be/rUywmHX6knU
they believed. Between the 1920’s and 1950’s the art
of “trick or treating” was born. This was If you like that video about the history
“Southern girls might look down a well of Halloween here is another one:
a way for the entire community to be
to spy the face of their future husbands,
involved and supplying small treats to
while girls in Chicago wrapped eggs in http://www.history.com/topics/hallo
the children was supposed to keep the
string and watched them burn in a fire. ween/videos#haunted-history-of-
vandalism at a minimum. Halloween
Halloween in the Northeast might have halloween
became a community-centered holiday
~4~


a sinful man so once he died he couldn’t A traditional Irish turnip from the early
Halloween Artifacts get into Hell because of the deal he 20th century:
Many of the symbols of Halloween like made with the Devil. Lost and confused,
the witch and jack-o-lantern were Jack requested some other place to go.
adopted by American’s but where The Devil tossed Jack an ember from
exactly did they come from and what Hell that would always stay lit to help
do they mean? Once we understand the him find his way through the eternal
meaning behind them we might get new darkness. He carved out a turnip and
ideas for our next haunt or Halloween carries it around with him to this day.
party. Here are just two of the most Hence the name ‘Jack-o-Lantern’ or
recognized artifacts of Halloween. “Jack Of The Lantern”.

The Irish used the jack-o-lantern to
ward off evil spirits by placing them on
their doorstep, but mostly they used
The Tale of the Jack-O-Lantern
swedes or turnips for the vegetable of
There are a couple of stories involving
choice. They adopted the pumpkin after
the true origin of the jack-o-lantern. The Weird pumpkin facts:
they realized it was easier to carve and
earliest was probably the folk tale of
more readily available after arriving in  1.5 Billion pounds of pumpkin are
“Stingy Jack” and his evil trickery he
America. produced every year
played on the devil. An old Irish story of
a sinful man named Jack who tricked  The world’s largest pumpkin
“Oh!—fruit loved of boyhood!—the old weighs 1,700 lbs.
the devil into never taking his soul. days recalling.
There are many versions but supposedly When wood-grapes were purpling and
 There are about 500 seeds in one
Jack tricked the Devil into either brown nuts were falling! pumpkin.
climbing an apple tree or turning himself When wild, ugly faces we carved in its  There are 30 different varieties of
skin, pumpkins.
into a coin. Then Jack surrounded the
Glaring out through the dark with a
Devil with crosses. He forced the Devil  Pumpkins get launched over
candle within!”-John Greenleaf
into promising that he would never take Whittier 5,000 feet at the annual ‘pumkin
Jack’s soul when he died. Well, Jack was chunkin’ contest in Deleware.
~5~


The Witch: A Big Misunderstanding a religion born in the 1950’s and is not same qualities of a witch-but are these
practiced by all witches. “Witchcraft” is people really witches?
So, what do you think about when you
more of a skill that can be learned and
think about a witch? The old hag-
varies by personal beliefs. Witches don’t
standing around an iron cauldron-
believe in the Devil. They don’t believe
speaking rhymes of satanic evil and
in God either. They are pagans and
corruptive spells? The one in the middle
believe in magic, healing, and spiritual
of the haunt who screams “Let me have
energy. But like normal humans there
your tongue” or “I need more toes for
are the “good” and the “bad”. Those who
my potion”? That’s what I think about
are negative seek to inflict a mental
anyway…after doing a bit of research, I
shadow over their victims with mind
found some interesting facts and myths
games and homemade herbal
about our typical witch.
concoctions. Those who are positive are
Witches have been around for many healers of many in need and guides to
centuries; they just didn’t earn that good outcomes. But throughout history
label until the 14th century. A witch has and today; witches get scolded for being
been described as a being who had the different.
ability to alter another person's mind, Myth: Witches Ride Brooms
body, or property against his or her will. Myth: Witches Have Magical Powers The witnesses of this spectacle had
For good or bad. Using potions, objects, If you have ever met or worked with a probably sipped on some herbal tea
and spells to accomplish their goals. But psychic, palm reader, gypsy, voodoo earlier that evening...but they did use
as the witch evolved through history, practitioner, holistic doctor, or spiritual the broom for cleaning up their mess.
they became more misunderstood and healer you have experienced a form of Here are other tools they used: A
isolated from their communities. mental or physical manipulation. The athame, a double-edged steel knife. A
expert performing those techniques has cauldron to mix the potions. A chalice to
Myth: The Witch is the Devil’s Helper learned the ability to read body harness spiritual powers. And a wand
There has always been the idea that all language, find your mental triggers, and for directing energy and focus.
witches are evil and are used to use herbs or natural medicine to make
promote the devil’s dirty work. “Wicca”, you better or worse. These are the
~6~


IV designates November 1st All idea of "tricking", an excuse to
Why We Should Care. Saints' Day cause mischief
I can’t cover every aspect of Halloween  800 A.D.: Pope Gregory III  1918: Most Halloween
in this e-book. I don’t have all the declares that villagers may dress celebrations are canceled due to
answers to this riddle about the birth of in costume as saints, and young the Spanish Flu Pandemic
a tradition that has become a favorite men must go door to door to beg  1921: Anoka, Minnesota becomes
holiday for many people. But I do for food for the poor the first American city to
understand the meaning and  1500s: Samhain and All Saints' officially sanction a citywide
transformations that have occurred Day become All Hallows' Day, the Halloween celebration
over many centuries. night before, All Hallows' Evening,  1923: New York begins citywide
Hallow Evening, or Hallowe'en Halloween celebrations
Halloween has evolved into something
 1600s: Considering them Catholic  1924: Anaheim, California holds
different than it was in ancient beliefs.
holidays, New England Puritans its first Halloween parade
Have we taken the facts for granted and
ban Halloween, Christmas and  1925: Los Angeles begins
invented our own holiday? Is this just
Easter citywide Halloween celebrations
an excuse for children to get free candy
 1840s: The Irish Potato Famine  Present: Halloween is a 2.5 billion
and parents to buy that next Ironman
brings Irish Catholics to America, dollar industry
costume? What will you see differently
along with their Halloween
about Halloween by knowing more of Outline by Mahalo.com
traditions. Due to the abundance
the facts?
of pumpkins, they carve them I believe if we all learn and study the
into jack o'lanterns instead of history of Halloween; we can all be
The Transformation of Halloween
turnips more successful in our dark passions.
 1,000-100 B.C.: The Celts
 1860s: Members of the Catholic Whether you’re into haunted houses,
celebrate Samhain on November
and Episcopalian churches the horror genre, or handing out
1st, painting faces on gourds and
campaign to officially sanction candy for your trick-or-treater;
their own faces to scare away
Halloween knowing the principles behind this
spirits
 1870: Halloween becomes a pagan holiday will give you that
 600 A.D.: In an effort to stop the
popular holiday, along with the ‘proud to be a fan’ feeling every time
pagan celebrations, Pope Boniface
someone says the word….Halloween..
~7~


Lesley Pratt Bannatyne: A Halloween Nation: Behind the Scenes of America's event in your life inspired you to write
Fright Night hits home for many of us about this misunderstood holiday?
Author and Inspiration For All haunters because she dives deep into
In the mid-1980s, a publishing house
the new age of Halloween and why it
called Facts on File launched a book on
matters to us now. She interviews
the history of Thanksgiving which
leading experts in the Haunt Industry
surprised everyone by being a runaway
such as mask makers, haunted house
success. F on F put the word out that
designers, home haunters, tattoo artists,
they'd look pretty favorably on any
web designers, zombie walkers, and all
book pitch that involved holidays and
the other scary people who make up
an agent friend of mine left this
this evolving holiday. If you enjoy
message on my answering
Halloween you'll love this book and all
machine: "They're going fast, Les. All
of her other books. Halloween
that's left is Election Day and
Nation infested the book stores on April
Halloween." I never looked back.
15th, 2011 and you can get her other
books too. Click Here to order Halloween Is your Guinness Record of the largest
Nation: Behind the Scenes of America's gathering of witches still current and
Fright Night And then don't forget to how did you acquire such a loyal
come back and read this awesome following?
interview that we put together for you
If you are not sure who Lesley Pratt Alas, we held the title for just two years.
and check out the links at the end of
Bannatyne is-shame on you. Not only is I’m not sure who has it now, but we
this article for more information related
she the leading author on Halloween were brought down by a charitable
to Lesley.
history and culture. Lesley has shared event in Pennsylvania. I'm lucky to live
plenty of her wisdom about Halloween Over your career as an author it seems in Somerville, MA, where crowds come
on Nickelodeon, The History you favor the topic of Halloween quite a together for the oddest of reasons (our
Channel, Time Magazine, National bit and you are known as 'The three maple trees start to give sap, a call
Geographic, and even The World Book Halloween Authority' writer. What for activist street bands, massive snow
Encyclopedia! Her new book Halloween ball fights, beard contests), and a

~8~


Guinness World Record attempt was extraordinary Halloween people, who horror movie I’d even seen, and because
enough of a challenge to bring them out. often lead me in unusual directions. my car’s engine burst into flames while I
I was happy to hand over the title to was driving home from the movie. I’ve
What is your most memorable
PA. been ghost hunting and I must say I
Halloween event in your life as a
haven’t been spooked by that. Frankly,
Not only are you an author in many child/adult that replays over and over
I’d be delighted to run into any of the
magazines and online directories your in your mind?
family and friends I’ve lost, but so far,
description of Halloween is in the World
I have a few. First of all, Dennis M. none have showed up. I don’t have a
Book Encyclopedia! What is the most
kissed me on Halloween when I was ten. favorite horror writer, but I tend to like
monumental stepping stone(s) in your
He just ran up behind me and gave me a the spookier material more than the
career that led you to the authority you
big kiss on the back of my neck. It was violent. I’m a Poe and Lovecraft kind of
are today?
my first. But frankly, it didn’t compare girl.
I wish there was one big answer for with getting the chance to walk in
Tell us Haunters more about your new
this, like I was born with a caul or costume up 6th Avenue in New York
book "Halloween Nation" and why we
abducted by trolls, but the truth is, City with 60,000 others, or to crawl
would enjoy it?
there was no one big step. There were through the Monroeville Mall with
hundreds of steps, and a few decades of 2000 zombies or even to celebrate I wanted to try and find out what makes
research that took me in lots of different Samhain with a group of pagans in a Halloween so important right now, for
tangents. In preparing my first book on Unitarian church in Cambridge. whom, and why, so I spent a few years
the history of Halloween, for example, I talking with as many people in the
Do you enjoy Haunted Attractions?
bumped into colonial religion, modern Halloween community as I could: mask
Real Haunted Houses? Horror Movies?
paganism, pop culture, Irish mythology, makers, musicians, prop builders,
Scary books? Do you have any
the Masons, Hollywood special effects, haunters, ghost hunters, spiritualists,
favorites of each?
Pentecostal Christians, Jaycees, gay witches, pumpkin growers, pumpkin
culture, folklorists, you name it. I still I love haunted attractions most of all. beer brewers, writers, horror burlesque
have files of Halloween material I Movies - some yes, some no. Scariest performers, tattoo artists, vintage
haven’t put into written form. And I movie ever for me? The Exorcist. I think collectors—you get the picture. For
continue to meet the most it’s because it was the first serious anyone that’s curious about what
makes Halloween relevant now, or how
~9~


they themselves fit in to the whole myself start, and sooner or later, I believe that Halloween is still driven
Halloween picture, or what attracts us something fun will kick in. by we who celebrate it.
to Halloween’s big icons (ghosts,
What are your outlooks for the growth How about some lasting words of
witches, pranks, pumpkins, monsters),
of Halloween and how do see the future inspiration from the 'Halloween
the book might be worth a read.
of the monetary value of the season? Authority' on Halloween and the Haunt
As a successful author on Halloween, industry.
There’s a great new google tool that can
can you share some insight on keeping
take every mention of a word in all of I can’t promise they’ll last, or even
your passion alive and tips for new
the books that google has digitized inspire, but I do have a few thoughts
aspiring authors, bloggers, and writers?
(millions) and chart the usage on a about haunts and horror. Interviewers
I’ve never (that I can remember) written graph. When you type in “Halloween,” (non-Halloween industry) often ask me
about something that doesn’t really, the mentions begin around 1860 and why Halloween entertainment is so
really interest me. (Even climb modestly until about 1970-80. graphic and bloody now. First of all, it’s
dendrochronology - that's right - the Then there’s a gigantic leap of about not just Halloween. Our whole culture is
science of tree rings - is pretty 1000% between then and 2005. graphic and bloody now; Halloween is
fascinating.) I think if you’re a Halloween has captured our interest in a just an expression of that. But here's the
writer/blogger/author, you can tell big way, and as long as so many of us thing: people who study film theorize
right away when something doesn’t are intrigued by it, I think the season that horror is popular because it’s able
grab you. A book, especially, takes a will continue to feed the market. I don’t to present the real terrors of our world
huge amount of time, and if you’re not see saturation yet. And to be clear, since with some honesty, and that horror
writing about something you love you we’re talking money, I still think that films can be seen as a way to cope with
may not be able to stay with it. I’m not Halloween is exciting NOT because the way we live now. And in some
saying that every single day and there is a group of people sitting in a ways, haunted houses can do this too;
sentence is a boatload of fun, or that it’s corporate board room trying to decide they follow the same cultural drifts and
easy to write about disemboweled what we’ll buy, but because there are ride on the same anxieties that horror
corpses when the sun is shining and the people sitting in garages, basements, films do. But there is a real difference
lilacs in bloom. For the days that aren’t and kitchens trying to come up with between a horror film and a haunted
so great, writing-wise, there’s 25+ years something really different and amazing. house experience. At a haunt, you’re
of experience behind me—I just make fighting for mastery of the situation
~ 10 ~


with other people in the real world. More Books About Halloween:
Haunts, in a way, build communities of
warriors. Rather than using Halloween’s
horror-filled imagery to indict the
holiday, we could honor this one night
when we can be the powerful, bloody
creatures we are. When we can let the
monsters out....

More Links About Lesley:

Halloween: A History

Imagining Halloween

The World According To Gourds

Outline Of Appearances

Biography

Boston Phoenix Interview

Email: bannatyn@fas.harvard.edu

The following pictures will direct you to
my affiliate link on Amazon.com. If you
buy anything after being directed to
their website, I will get a small
monetary donation for your purchase.
Thank You for you reading this book.

~ 11 ~

The History of Halloween

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The History of Halloween