You know it’s Halloween when you begin spotting pumpkins, black cats, and skeletons around the curb, but most are often unsure of their significance to the festival. Celebrated on October 31 every year, Halloween is a popular holiday in the West. However, the celebrations are gradually becoming widespread around the world. If you, like many others, are eager to hop onto the trend but aren’t sure where to begin, we’re here to break down the tradition, culture and its origin for you.
Halloween: The origins
Halloween started out as a Celtic festival called Samhain and was widely celebrated in Ireland and Scotland for centuries. The Celts commemorated the festival by lighting large bonfires that signified the end of summer and the onset of winter. Later, these traditions were combined with the Roman festivals of Pomona and Feralia. However, it didn’t make its mark in the US until the British and Irish migrants moved across the Atlantic.
But why do people carve pumpkins on Halloween?
Carving pumpkins is a vital tradition and an enjoyable pastime that goes together with Halloween. Known as Jack O Lanterns, Halloween marked the harvest season for pumpkins, and they were typically available in abundance during this time of the year. Moreover, they were also considered an essential part of the winter diet as they provided suitable nourishment for extreme weather conditions. But it wasn’t always pumpkins. Traditionally, the Celts began celebrating by carving faces on turnips. But once the Irish and the British moved to the US, the tradition gradually began using pumpkins instead of turnips.
Okay, so then why the spooky decoration?
It is believed that the line between our world and the other world is the thinnest on October 31. It is also a popular notion that death is lurking around during this time of the month, allowing spirits and ghosts to roam freely. Creepy, right? In fact, the practice of dressing up and going trick or treating dates back to the Celtic festival Samhain.
How is Halloween celebrated today?
Halloween today is synonymous with parties, bonfires and sweets. Different countries celebrate the festival differently, and it is only gradually gaining momentum in India.
Croma, in collaboration with Sunburn, hosted a weekend Halloween celebration at W, Goa. With illuminated pumpkin heads, “coffin” charging points, props and scary masks, the venue welcomed over a thousand spooky guests for both days of celebration. It featured a lineup of celebrity DJs that kept the party going on till the wee hours of the night.
In fact, we also ensured to spook those visiting us on the days leading up to Halloween! If you missed out on checking our pumpkin banner, here’s a sneak peek for you:
So, how did you celebrate Halloween this year?
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Khevna Pandit
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