Though I’m not sure if seasons can be labeled as “basic,” autumn may be winning that title. Fall is all cozy sweaters, white girls and pumpkin spice lattes. And I do, full-heartedly, enjoy these sorts of things. The colors are bright and bold, pumpkin and apple orchards. However, I’ve always felt drawn to more macabre and melancholic things. I believe being dark and mysterious are Scorpio traits, so maybe that’s why. I’ve always loved fall because it’s a little sad and a lot scary. And, I am not here to perpetuate the idea that loving seasonal flavors and sepia-toned filtered Instagram photos are vapid compared to the deep and dark world of gothic fall lovers. Fall is wonderful because it is both cozy and creepy. And modern Halloween practices have captured this amalgamation of autumnal attitudes. But how did these traditions begin?
While celebrations of the living and dead exist in cultures across the planet, the Halloween we know has roots in an ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain. The festival was held on the first night of November, where it was believed the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. Just like Halloween, the festivities featured wearing costumes and plenty of merrymaking. Samhain is still celebrated today, as it signifies the start of the year for modern practicing neo-pagans.
As Christianity began to spread throughout Europe, traditions of older faiths began to mix or were forced to mix, with church-sanctioned practices. Around this time, a day of prayer known as All Souls’ Day emerged. Celebrated on November 2, the day holds similar practices as Samhain and was brought to the United States throughout the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries.
While costumes, jack-o-lanterns and eating sweet treats have been in place since the days of old, many cite Elizabeth Krebs as the “mother of modern Halloween.” According to the Ancient History Encyclopedia’s article covering the history of Halloween, Elizabeth Krebs of Hiawatha, Kansas woke up the morning of November 1, 1912, to see her garden had once again been destroyed by young people who spent the night causing neighborhood chaos. The next year, Krebs organized a large party to keep the children of Hiawatha entertained and away from damaging property. By 1914, the entire town participated in a festival of costume contests, parades, music and dancing.
Of course, Halloween will be looking different this year. The world is wild and upsetting, and not being able to find solace in a huge Halloween bash with all my friends in a crowded living room. This little dream was once of the only things getting me through the hard spring months earlier this year. But, as a strong believer that the spirit of Halloween lives inside you, there are so many ways to celebrate this holiday safely in ways that are both cute and creepy. Whether it’s watching movies with roommates, or dressing up with friends over Zoom. Take this month to enjoy all October gives us. You deserve it.