This history of Halloween is a complicated one. The origins of Halloween date back to the Celtic traditional celebration of Samhain, almost 2,000 years ago. This celebration originally signified the beginning of the new year—November 1. The Celts believed that on this night the lines between life and death were blurred and ghosts of the dead would return to roam the Earth until morning. Around 43 AD, the Celts were conquered by the Romans, and traditions were blended. November 1, a day to commemorate all martyrs, was established by the Catholic Church in 609 AD. Over time, this day became All Souls’ Day, now called All Saints’ Day. The night before was referred to as All Hallows’ Eve, which ultimately became ‘Halloween’. Many immigrants from Ireland and England established the traditions of dressing up in costumes and trick-or-treating door to door in North America. Starting in the 1920s, vandalism and destruction of property found their way into Halloween festivities. However, with the expansion of suburbs in the 1950s, Halloween traditions were revived.
These Halloween traditions can be found at St. Ambrose today! This past weekend, St. Ambrose residence halls opened their doors to a flood of local trick-or-treaters. SAU students decorated and passed out candy to children, many of whom were children of faculty and staff. Watch SAU’s coverage of the fesitives here.
Halloween info: http://www.history.com/topics/…
picture: http://thetincats.blogspot.com…