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A Special Study on the History, Origin, and "Problem" of Halloween

Part 1 of 4

End Notes Indicated Within Brackets And Listed On Page 4

Introduction

October 31, or Halloween, is a highly commercialized fall holiday in the United States and some other countries. Historically it has been a controversial date for Christians and will continue to be because it was previously connected to a European pagan religion and some elements of the old religion remain in the modern holiday. In this brief study we will identify the history and origin of both the ancient and modern holiday, as well as examine the "problem of Halloween," meaning that we will examine several modern Christian arguments that are both "for and against" Christian participation in Halloween. These points will be followed by an examination of Scripture as it relates to the observance of holidays of any sort.

Halloween became an American holiday in the 19th century [1]. Almanacs of the late 18th and early 19th centuries do not mention Halloween in their lists of holidays [2]. It came to America by way of two sources: some European peoples migrated to Canada, and then southward into the United States. They brought a version of Halloween with them [3]. From 1845 - 1849 there was a tragedy in Europe called the Irish Potato Famine that caused people from Ireland to migrate to the United States [4]. When they came, they brought Halloween and many of the customs that we are familiar with today including the ghosts, goblins and witches [5].

I. Ancient Origin

A. Halloween was the date of a Celtic festival called Samhain (pronounced SOW-uhn).

  1. The Celts were the native people of Ireland and other places in what is now the United Kingdom. They were also spread throughout continental Europe.
  2. The spiritual leaders of the Celtic peoples were called Druids [6].
  3. According to firsthand observations recorded by Julius Caesar, the Druids presided over almost all religious matters and conducted human sacrifice [7].
  4. Celtic religious ceremonies usually took place among groves of trees [8]. However, they also used temples.

B. Samhain was an end of the year harvest festival [9].

  1. It is a Gaelic word that could mean either "end of summer" or "assembly" [10].
    a. Both definitions accurately describe the ancient holiday. It took place at the end of the year when the bitter winter was at hand, and the people assembled to celebrate.
    b. Some writers claim that Samhain was the proper name of a Celtic deity who was known as the "Lord of Death." The writer finds this to be unlikely; the name does not appear in any list of known Celtic idol gods.
  2. According to some authors, the Celts believed that Samhain was a time when it was easy to cross from the world of the dead to the world of the living. On this night, evil spirits rejoiced over the coming of the deathly cold winter and went forth to attack humans and play nasty tricks. The only way to escape these spirits was to disguise oneself as a spirit [11].
  3. Another sure way to scare away spirits was to carve a jack o' lantern, place a wick or a candle inside, and put it in front of one's house.
    a. Contrary to popular belief, the Celts did not make jack o' lanterns out of pumpkins. They made smaller lanterns out of turnips and rutabagas [12].
    b. Pumpkins could not have been used, since they originally come from North America, which was not discovered until 1492 [13].
  4. It is commonly believed that the custom of handing out treats originated with the ancient Celtic harvest feast.
  5. In modern Ireland, one Halloween custom involves the baking and distribution of a special fruit bread among family members.
    a. Inside the bread is hidden a coin, a ring, and a piece of a rag.
    b. If you get the rag then your financial future is doubtful.
    c. If you get the coin then you can look forward to a prosperous year.
    d. Getting the ring is a sure sign of impending romance or continued happiness.

C. Conclusion

  1. It is widely believed and almost a certainty that many of our Halloween practices can be traced directly to the old pagan customs.
    a. The date of the observance is approximately the same.
    b. The season is the same.
    c. The custom of jack o' lanterns is the same.
    d. The custom of dressing up in scary costumes is the same.
    e. The focus on the supernatural continues to exist. Even the words, "Trick or treat" remind us of the old belief that spirits were out on Halloween night to play tricks on people, while the people themselves distributed food and treats to celebrate the end of summer.
  2. Today Halloween has been adopted by modern witchcraft groups as one of their eight yearly observances. These observances are referred to as the Sabbaths.
  3. With the lingering association of Halloween with false religion both ancient and modern, as well as the supernatural, it is no great surprise or wonder that Christians question the wisdom of participating in the holiday.

Next - Later History

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Page Added: 10-1-2007 Last Update: 11-3-2007