Halloween Spooky Celebration
Halloween is a highly celebrated tradition in the United States with 70 percent of Americans planning to participate in Halloween activities in 2023. Halloween is a very popular holiday in the U.S. often decorated with carved pumpkins intertwined with autumn decor showcasing the bright colors of the season. In 2023 U.S. consumers plan to spend an overall total of more than 12 billion U.S. dollars on Halloween with the majority of money spent on costumes, candy and decor items. Halloween is observed on October 31 of each year the evening before all saints (or Hollows Day) The annual calibration makes the day before Western Christian feasts of all saints and initiates the season of Allhallowtide which lasts three days and concludes with all soul’s day. In much of Europe including most of North America the observance of Halloween is largely non religious.
Historically Halloween has its origins in the festival of Samhain among the Celts of ancient Britain and Ireland. On November 1 the new year was believed to begin. The date was considered to be the beginning of the winter period set forth on contemporary calendars in which hers were returned to the pasture and land tenures were renewed. During the Samhain festival the souls of those who had died were believed to return to visit their homes and those who had died during the year were believed to journey to the other world. Traditionally people set bonfires on hilltops for relighting hearth fires for the winter and to frighten away evil spirits. People often wore masks and other disguises to avoid being recognized by the goats thought to be present. It was in those ways that beings such as witches. goats, fairies, hobgoblins, and demons became associated with day. The period was also thought to be favorable for divination on matters of marriage. health and death an attempt to gain insight into the practice of seeking knowledge of future events by unknown supernatural means.
The Romans conquered the Celts in the first century CE they added their own festivals of Feralia commemorating the passing of the dead and of Pomona the goddess of the Harvest. In the 7 century CE Pope Boniface IV established All Saints Day originally set on May 13 then the following century perhaps in an effort to supplement the pagan holiday with a Christian observance it was moved to November 1. The evening before All Saint’s Day then became Holy or hallowed eve and thus Halloween. By the end of the Middle Ages the secular and the scared days had emerged. The information essentially put an end to the religious holiday among the Protestants although in Britain especially Halloween continued to be celebrated as a secular holiday. Along with other festivities the calibration of Halloween was largely forbidden among the early colonists of the day although in the early 1800’s they developed festivals that marked the year’s harvest incorporating elements of Halloween.
Large numbers of immigrants including the Irish went to the United States in the mid 19 century they took their Halloween costumes with them and in the 20 century Halloween became one of the principles in the U.S. Holidays celebrated among people across the United States who ring doorbells far and wide for trick or teats. Top Halloween trends in 2023 is dressing up as food or animal, TX is expected to be popular this year Pastel colors are expected to add a charming twist to any home Halloween decor. Sophisticated minimalist color palettes including black, gold, purple, green and neutral tones are expected to be popular color combinations this year featuring floating lights appearing as natural gothic elements along any garden path creating a spooky ambience for ghostly trick or treaters on Halloween night.
Cheers!
Patricia Lynn
Images Courtesy of markd77 at AdobeStock
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