5 Facts You Might Not Know About Halloween
Highlights from the book “Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween”
After years of exclusively reading Halloween fiction, I figured it was time to dive into the history behind the holiday with Lisa Morton’s Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween. From Halloween’s origins in the British Isles to its arrival and evolution in America, Morton provides an comprehensive overview of All Hallow’s Eve. As you gear up to celebrate the scariest night of the year, here are five facts you might not know about Halloween.
A Celtic Celebration Misunderstood by the Christian Worldview
Halloween has its origins as Samhain (pronounced “sow-in”), a Celtic New Year’s celebration that begins at sundown on October 31st. Although some sources inaccurately claim Samhain translates to “the lord of the dead” and involved demon worship and human sacrifice, the holiday refers to “summer’s end.” In truth, it was a time of harvest, preparation, and reflection for the hardest time of the year.
While Samhain has its associations with the macabre, much of the Celtic culture lacked records and were only written about by Christian scribes. Over history, as the Catholic church spread throughout Europe in the 7th century, pagan holidays were repurposed…
