Top 10 Most Intriguing Things about Halloween Night

Halloween festival nowadays originates from the Celtic people, a tribe that lived over 2,000 years ago in what is now the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Northern France. The Celts started their new year on November 1st in the Gregorian calendar. A festival was held on the night before the new year to honor the departed leader known as Samhain. This festival marked the beginning of the cold season, the dark days associated with cruelty and human death. The Celts believed that Samhain allowed the souls of the dead to return home on that night. On the 'All Souls' Day,' the poor went 'souling' and were given soul cakes to promise prayers for the 'souls.'

Halloween came to the United States through the first immigrants, mainly from the United Kingdom and some from Celtic regions. They brought various customs to America. However, due to limited beliefs initially imposed by major religions, which were relatively strict, the celebration of Halloween was not widespread among the public. It wasn't until the 1800s that the customs became more popular.

In the mid-19th century, the 'trick or treat' tradition was not common in large cities because in these places, there were almost no 'neighborly neighborhoods'; many people lived side by side without knowing each other, so Halloween sometimes caused unfortunate incidents. Today, many communities and organizations have come forward to sponsor the playful customs of Halloween, making it a very enjoyable festival for teenagers and some young adults.

Halloween has its original name as All Hallows' Eve, meaning the night before All Saints' Day. 'Hallow' is an old English word meaning 'holy.' The name of the holiday was later shortened to Hallowe'en and eventually became Halloween as we know it today. The Halloween festival today is mostly seen as a festive day with apples from the Pomona festival, black cats from the Sanhaim festival, ghosts, skeletons from the All Saints' and All Souls' Days.

Knocking on neighbors' doors on the night of October 31, waiting for them to open, and shouting 'Trick or Treat' is one of the most beautiful childhood memories. It is a very familiar game on today's Halloween for little ones. But, in reality, this is a form of begging from ancient times.

Today, children will dress in demon costumes, go in groups carrying baskets for candies, lanterns... Then, the kids will knock on each neighbor's door in the neighborhood, wait for them to open, and joyfully shout: 'Trick or Treat.' Trick in English means to deceive, just playful mischief on Halloween. Treat means hospitality, kindness, in this case, referring to candies. This saying implies: 'If you don't want to be tricked, treat us with something.' Usually, the hosts happily give the kids a lot of candies and sweets to... scare the next house.

But why 'Trick or Treat,' why not any other phrase? What is the real meaning behind it? According to the Dictionary, the origin of this saying dates back to the medieval period, but it wasn't a custom for children like it is today.

From ancient times, those who went begging often disguised themselves in costumes made of straw, walking around the village, knocking on each house's door to ask for candies or food. Gradually, this became a tradition, an indispensable characteristic on Halloween. In medieval times, the poor would go begging for food on October 31. In return, they would pray for the souls who had died on All Souls' Day, falling on November 2 (Day of the Dead).

Today's Trick or Treat game is a variation of the ancient custom. The Halloween festival came to the United States through the first immigrants, mostly from Scotland and Ireland. Regardless of its origin, today it remains a popular tradition, eagerly anticipated by children worldwide on Halloween.

Firstly, the name of October 31 is “All Hallow Even” or also known as the Event of Sanctification. Halloween (short for 'All Hallows' Evening') is a traditional festival held on October 31 each year, on the evening before All Saints' Day in the Latin Christian calendar. The name Halloween or Hallowe'en dates back to around 1745 and has Christian origins. The term 'Halloween' means holy or sacred evening. It originates from a Scottish term, All Hallows' Eve (the night before All Saints' Day). In Scots, the term eve is even or een in English, and over time, All Hallows' Eve evolved into Halloween.

Therefore, October 31 is chosen for Halloween because ancient Celts believed that on this day, the laws of space and time would be suspended, and souls from the afterlife would return to the earthly realm to seek bodies to resurrect. Thus, on this day, they would disguise themselves, gather noisily to alleviate the fear of the surrounding spirits. This year's Halloween festival will fall on Saturday, October 31, 2020 (15th of the 9th lunar month).

Another popular game during Halloween is the fortune-telling activity known as Bobbing Apple. It is believed that by playing this game, wandering spirits can help participants discover their future suitors.

To play this game, one simply needs to place apples in a large tub of water, and participants must use their teeth to pick up the apples from the water's surface. The tradition of bobbing for apples on 'All Saints' Day' is not just a game but, in fact, a ritual for seeking good fortune. The more apples one retrieves, the more luck they are believed to have in the coming year. Legend also has it that the first person to grab an apple from the water without using their hands will be the first to get married.

You may not know that Halloween is one of the beloved holidays in the United States, but its repercussions, such as house burnings and traffic disruptions, have led many cities to consider banning the festival altogether.

On October 31, 1879, on a railroad route from Louisville across the border to Newport, Kentucky, USA, the train driver looked out into the night and discovered something terrifying – a body lying across the railroad tracks. He immediately applied the brakes with all his might to stop the train and jumped off to inspect with a bewildered expression. However, he quickly realized that the body wasn't moving. It wasn't a person; it was a dummy placed there beforehand. The onlookers began howling and laughing as their Halloween prank had succeeded.

Although the teenage trick-or-treaters had threatened their safety and that of the passengers, the train driver didn't utter a derogatory word, as he, too, had engaged in similar antics as a boy. These events were common during Halloween in the Gilded Age, when the holiday no longer consisted of innocent candy-seeking but was filled with mischief, pranks, and violence.

The mischievous activities didn't stop at mild pranks; they posed many dangers to homeowners. However, those who devised these pranks believed that the more dangerous the pranks, the more successful they would be. When immigrants from Scotland and Ireland brought Halloween to the United States in the mid-1800s, they celebrated it similarly to their homeland. However, Halloween was not a fun tradition of costumed children knocking on doors for treats; it was a night of spooky mischief.

In 1911, an image of two boys stealing a gate on Halloween night made many uncomfortable. Consequently, today, this game is only applied to young children to create a safer and more enjoyable atmosphere for the holiday.

Jack O' Lanterns, or pumpkin lanterns, are the most iconic symbol of the Halloween festival. According to Irish folklore, the Jack O' Lantern was named after a stingy man named Jack who, upon his death, was banned from both heaven and hell. This was because he had tricked the devil on numerous occasions. He was condemned to wander the Earth, carrying his lantern to guide people on the right path.

But did you know that originally, Jack-o’-lanterns were carved on turnips, potatoes, or sugar beets? When this lantern tradition reached America, they realized that pumpkins, a native American crop, were perfect for creating these lanterns. Thus, they decided to continue making these lanterns from pumpkins to this day for Halloween.

Few know that the Jack O’ Lantern has a rather mysterious and dark origin, stemming from an ancient Irish folklore tale. The story revolves around a farmer named Jack – a man who constantly played tricks on demons and, until his death, found no place willing to accept him.

People carve Jack O’ Lanterns during the Halloween festival for many centuries. This originates from an Irish story about a man nicknamed “Stingy Jack”. According to legend, Jack invited the Devil for a drink. Due to his stingy nature, Jack did not want to pay for their drinks, so he persuaded the Devil to transform into a coin so Jack could use it to buy drinks. When the Devil changed shape, Jack decided to keep the coin and placed it in his pocket next to a silver cross. The Devil, terrified, could not escape and reverted to his original form. Jack eventually released the Devil, but on the condition that he would not disturb Jack for one year and, after Jack died, he would not claim his soul.

The next year, Jack tricked the Devil again, this time climbing a tree to pick fruit. As the Devil climbed the tree, Jack carved a cross into the trunk so the Devil could not come down until he promised not to bother him for another ten years. Not long after, Jack passed away. As the story goes, God did not allow a cunning person like Jack into heaven. The Devil, keeping his promise, did not demand Jack's soul, so he was not allowed into hell either. The Devil gave Jack a burning coal to light his way in the dark. Jack placed the coal inside a carved turnip and wandered the Earth. Since then, the Irish called Jack’s ghost “Jack O’ Lantern”.

In Ireland and Scotland, people began making different versions of “Jack O’ Lantern” lanterns by carving frightening faces into turnips or potatoes and placing them near windows or entrances to drive away “Stingy Jack” and other wandering demon souls. In England, large turnips were used. Immigrants from these countries brought the tradition of “Jack O’ Lanterns” when they came to America. Here, they realized that pumpkins were a common native crop in America and could create perfect lanterns. Hence, they used pumpkins to make lanterns as you see them today.

Bats, zombies, vampires, or werewolves are considered terrifying blood-sucking creatures often portrayed in Halloween's spooky festivities. Standing out amidst countless monster genres, the pumpkin is one of the most famous symbols of the Halloween festival. According to historians, the tradition of gutting and placing a candle inside a pumpkin is a Celtic ritual with roots in Iceland. The illuminated, eerie faces of pumpkins serve to ward off evil spirits wandering the streets on the night of October 31, the Celtic New Year's Eve. Why is the bat closely associated with Halloween? Just like the creature Dracula, some bat species live off the blood of animals. They evoke the image of vampires, a characteristic creature of the Halloween festival.

Zombies, or the Undead, are central characters in the horror film industry and embody the culture of zombies with origins in Haiti. According to Haitian belief, humans can fall into a state of mental absence, resembling the undead in films (excluding the desire for human flesh). Even a Haitian ethnobotanist discovered a toxic substance that could induce this zombie state. Nothing is easier than pretending to be a ghost in the Halloween festival: cut two holes in a white bedsheet and cover it over your head. However, it would be much more challenging to become a real restless spirit. Firstly, a person has to die, preferably under tragic circumstances. After that, their soul must wander around to haunt houses or seek loved ones. From a scientific perspective, many paranormal psychologists argue that energy (including body energy) cannot disappear completely. It only transforms into another form, namely the soul.

A demon is an embodiment of evil, as well as the worst of vile things. It can be an evil spirit, a fallen angel, or a minion of Satan. There are many chilling stories surrounding these demonic entities. They also frequently take on villainous roles in folk literature worldwide.

When it comes to the Halloween festival, one cannot forget the image of witches riding brooms, soaring through the night sky with the full moon high above. Wealthy witches would ride horses, while the less fortunate witches would ride brooms or even a simple staff; that is the perception that most people have of witches.

Witches are believed to possess supernatural powers, often dressed in black, pointed hat, and riding a broomstick. On Halloween costume night, many people 'transform' into witches. Witches are thought to have supernatural powers, be connected to demons, represent dark forces, and have their strongest abilities on Halloween. However, like many other mysterious creatures, they were labeled as demons by the Catholic Church and hunted across Europe in the medieval era and in America from the 17th century.

The full moon is an extremely rare phenomenon on Halloween night. The most recent full moon on Halloween occurred in 2001. It wasn't until Halloween 2020 that we could witness the full moon again. As for the image of the full moon, it's simply an artistic addition to enhance the Halloween night.

From the story of the life and actions of a boy named Jack, we have a chilling experience that 'Living should not be greedy or stingy. There must be compassion, kindness.'

Do not play with demons. Demons, in a metaphorical sense, are deceitful tricks, threats, actions that make others fearful, and the sometimes mischievous deeds born from the intelligence and imagination of youth can harm people and society. Playing with, engaging with demons can easily tempt one into the dark and sinful path.