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Turnip Jack-O-Lanterns And Other Shockingly Old And Bizarre Origins Of Popular Halloween Traditions
Holiday fun we have today on the last day of October often traces back to old and unusual practices
Halloween has evolved into one of the most beloved annually celebrated holidays in the United States. The opportunity to dress up in fun and silly costumes, while consuming copious amounts of candy makes its popularity little surprise. Naturally, there are many traditions that come with the festivities that are honored every year, and some of them have very surprising and strange origins.
How Did Halloween Costumes Become Popular?
Hallowween hearkens back many years to the ancient Celtic celebration of Samhain, which was a pagan festival to welcome in the harvest season and also signify the upcoming darker portion of the year where daylight diminished. In the eight century A.D., Pope Gregory III decreed that November 1st would be the annual day to honor all saints.
With the honoring of these dead saints, superstition kicked in, creating the fear of so many spirits and ghosts that were believed to emerge on their big day. Wanting to stay out of the way of any otherworldly apparitions that might have bad intentions on their mind, people…
