Halloween.

Halloween is the one of the oldest holidays still celebrated today. It’s one of the most popular, second only to Christmas. Millions of people celebrate Halloween without knowing its origins and myths.Most people view Halloween as a time for fun, putting on costumes, trick-or-treating, and having theme parties. Others view it as a time of superstitions, ghosts, goblins and evil spirits, an event to be avoided at all costs.

Origin of Halloween.

Halloween culture can be traced back to the Druids, a Celtic culture in Ireland, Britain and Northern Europe. Roots lay in the feast of Samhain, which was annually on October 31st to honour the dead.

Samhain signifies “summers end”. Samhain was a harvest festival with huge sacred bonfires, marking the end of the Celtic year and beginning of a new one. Many of the practices involved in this celebration were fed on superstition.

The Celts believed the souls of the dead roamed the streets and villages at night. Since not all spirits were thought to be friendly, gifts and treats were left out to pacify the evil and ensure next years crops would be plentiful. This custom evolved into trick-or-treating.

• How are you going to celebrate Hallowe’en?