The Past and Present of Halloween

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On the night of October 31 every year, millions of citizens across the United States and elsewhere dress up in costumes to walk down their local neighborhoods asking for candy or “trick-or-treating”. Strangely, Halloween was not always this way. In fact, the origins of Halloween had nothing to do with getting candy or scaring other people. In today’s society, commercialism keeps Halloween alive. Halloween accessories are in stores around September or earlier to encourage widespread purchases of various costumes and candies. In other cultures, there are spiritual celebrations that influenced modern American Halloween. Present Halloween has been influenced by spiritual celebrations of other cultures, historical events, and commercialism.
Halloween is derived from the Christian holiday All Hallows’ Eve, which is the day before the feast of All Hallows’ Day. This time is dedicated to mourning fallen saints and martyrs, or the dead in general. The practices of this could relate to other pagan rituals, particularly the Gaelic Samhain (All Hallows’ Eve). During both Samhain and All Hallows...

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