The Bible does not mention Halloween. However, both the ancient origins of Halloween and its modern customs show it to be a celebration based on false beliefs about the dead and invisible spirits, or demons.
The Bible warns: “There must never be anyone among you who . . . consults ghosts or spirits, or calls up the dead.” (Deuteronomy 18:10-12, The Jerusalem Bible) While some view Halloween as harmless fun, the Bible indicates that the practices associated with it are not. At 1 Corinthians 10:20, 21, the Bible says: “I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too.”―New International Version.
Halloween history and customs
Samhain: The origin of Halloween can be traced to this “ancient pagan festival celebrated by Celtic people over 2,000 years ago,” states The World Book Encyclopedia. “The Celts believed that the dead could walk among the living at this time. During Samhain, the living could visit with the dead.” However, the Bible clearly teaches that the dead “are conscious of nothing at all.” (Ecclesiastes 9:5) Thus, they cannot contact the living.
Halloween costumes, candy, and trick or treat: According to the book Halloween―An American Holiday, An American History, some of the Celts wore ghoulish costumes so that wandering spirits would mistake them for one of their own and leave them alone. Others offered sweets to the spirits to appease them. In medieval Europe, the Catholic clergy adopted local pagan customs and had their adherents go from house to house wearing costumes and requesting small gifts. The Bible, on the other hand, does not permit merging false religious practices with the worship of God.―2 Corinthians 6:17.
Ghosts, vampires, werewolves, witches, and zombies: These have long been associated with the evil spirit world. The Bible clearly states that we should oppose wicked spirit forces, not celebrate with them.―Ephesians 6:12.
Halloween pumpkins, or jack-o’-lanterns: In medieval Britain, “supplicants moved from door to door asking for food in return for a prayer for the dead,” and they would carry “hollowed-out turnip lanterns, whose candle connoted a soul trapped in purgatory.” Others say that the lanterns were used to ward off evil spirits. During the 1800’s in North America, pumpkins replaced turnips because they were plentiful as well as easy to hollow out and carve. The beliefs behind this custom―the immortality of the soul, purgatory, and prayers for the dead―are not based on the Bible.―Ezekiel 18:4.
Halloween is full of costumes and candy, trick-or-treating and terrifying haunted houses, pumpkins and black cats. But just where did Halloween come from? Why are we celebrating?
The history of Halloween goes back 2000 years. Many believe that Halloween’s origins are found in the Celtic festival of Samhain. The Celts, who were located in Ireland, the UK and the northern parts of France, celebrated their New Year on the first of November. Samhain was celebrated the night before the New Year.
The New Year, Celts believed, marked summer’s end, harvest time, and the start of dark, cold winter months. Those winter months were associated with death by these people. On October 31, the night before the New Year, the Celts celebrated Samhain. This day, they believed, was when the ghosts of the deceased returned to earth because the boundaries between the living world and the dead world blurred.
When we think of “Trick-Or-Treating”, the origins can probably be found in the English All Souls’ Day parades. During these celebrations, the poor would come out and beg for food from the more wealthy families. When the families gave them pastries called “soul cakes”, they asked for the poor to pray for their relatives that had passed away.
Another possibility that may have grown into “Trick-Or-Treating” is the tradition of people leaving bowls of food in front of their homes. They did this to keep the ghosts that were wandering the earth from entering.
Dressing in costumes has a couple possible origins. European and Celtic people both felt winter was a frightening time. It was cold, it was darker, and the possibility of running out of food was great. When they reached the time when they thought the dead returned, they thought they might encounter these ghosts whenever they left their houses. The wearing of masks and costumes grew from these people donning masks so the ghosts would not recognize them!
This holiday was brought to the US by Scotch and Irish immigrants in the 1800s. At that time, much of the “spookiness” of the holiday was removed and a sense of community and fun were added. Although scary themes are still the focus of many Halloween celebrations, that scariness is done for fun, not because of actual fear.
Halloween is currently the 2nd largest commercial holiday!
It's what is known as a social-inversion festival. Kids can demand treats under the implied threat of minor acts of vandalism ("tricks").
The following day is All Souls Day. A superstition evolved that the souls of the dead would wander the Earth the night before. The Trick or Treaters are supposed to be representing the ghosties and ghoulies.
I prefer to sit in the pumpkin patch and wait for the Great Pumpkin to arise, also drinking beer and listening to the hockey game on the radio. Any excuse for a buzz. ;D
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I believe it's from Scotland more than 2000 years ago it was celebrated by the Celts on the 1st of November. They believed spirits came to visit on the 31st of October so they dressed up as ghost so they would not harm them.
The Jack-o-lanterns come fro America but trick or treating comes from the Celts also they would offer food to the spirits latter on they ended up giving food to poor people this is where trick or treating comes from.
It's changed a lot from how it started because new people brought in new traditions but now days it is a bit of a meaningless holiday.
Halloween is a Celtic Christian celebration in memory of martyred Christian saints. The yanks stole the content and turned the event into a ghoulish charade!
if it was brought to us by the yanks via the irish and scottish, why is it middle English for 'all that's holy goes away' ...
it's the start of the autumn feast days of souls departed.. we should be remembering tonight all those who died outside christian love.. that's it's early christian roots, no doubt you'll get some devil worshipper pop up and tell you it predates jesus, but there's no evidence for that at all.. Wiccan actually dates to the 1940's..
'Scotland more than 2000 years ago' yeah there was no scotland 2000 years ago so you mean the welsh..
god's teeth.. the calendar, GC (so it can't predate 1590) 31st oct= halloween..1st November all saints...2nd November= All souls..
Because a generation of kids saw ET the movie and American children going trick or treating and thought we'll have bit of that free chocolate.....
....the supermarkets jumped on the bandwagon to sell more chocolate and costumes and plastic wands, caldrons' and other tat.....
...we've been dressing up and making ourselves sick on chocolate ever since.
Because we love to copy America
Its about scaring evil away
to get free candy of course!!
i don't know th reason behind it
For money.
just another con to rip us of
