Bet You Didn't Know: Halloween | History

when most people think of Halloween they think of trick-or-treating parades bobbing for apples and other familyfriendly activities but bet you didn't know the true story behind the ancient origins of Halloween it all goes back some 2,000 years to the ancient Celtic Festival known as sa celebrated on November 1st on the night before sin people believed that the dead returned as ghosts they would leave food and wine on their door door steps to keep roaming Spirits at Bay and wear masks when they left the house so they would be mistaken for fellow ghosts the Christian Church

turned sin into All Saints Day or All Hallows in the 8th Century the night before became All Hallows Eve later shortened to Halloween you've heard of trick-or-treating on Halloween but what about soing or guising all three of these Traditions originated in medieval Britain on All Souls Day November 2nd the need would beg for pastries known as Soul cakes in return they would pray for people's dead relatives this was called soing in the medieval Halloween tradition of geing young people would dress up in costume and accept food wine money and other offerings in exchange for singing

reciting poetry or telling jokes in 19th century America Irish and Scottish immigrants revived these old traditions the result was trick-or-treating at first it was much more about the tricks in the form of pranks and hij Jinks than the treats it wasn't until the 1950s that the custom took on its current family-friendly kid centered form today Halloween is big business with us consumers spending more than 2.5 billion on costumes annually add in the candy and it's estimated that Americans spend up to 6 billion on Halloween each year making it the second most commercial holiday after Christmas

so whether you're a fan of Tricks treats or trivia there's a bit of Halloween history we bet you didn't know