HALLOWEEN
ORIGINS
The term Halloween, of Irish origin, literally means all saints night. The original term was "All Hallow's Eve" that is, the eve of all saints and for this reason it was celebrated on October 31st.
In those times, most of the populations were farmers and their trade was based on agriculture. The color orange symbolized the harvest and black, the darkness of winter. This festival was called "Samhain".
It was also believed that on the night of October 31, spirits could return to earth and take possession of the living. A myth that was able to terrify all the villagers. To avoid possession, the inhabitants turned off the lights of the house and uncovered their faces and bodies with horrible masks and clothes, to be unattractive to the spirits.
As time went on, less and less was heard of the myth but people continued to dress up as a tradition.
IN AMERICA
Irish and Scottish immigrants brought their traditions with them to the USA in the 1800s. The ancient reason for celebrating All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day became less and less important, leaving room for fun. It is now a widespread celebration in America and Canada, where children dress up and leave the house, knocking from door to door, reciting the famous phrase "trick-or-treat" in search of all kinds of sweets.
IN ITALY
For centuries in Puglia, the eve of All Saints' Day has been celebrated with decorated pumpkins, to light the way for the souls in purgatory.
Dressing up in a frightening way and believing that the dead return to earth are age-old beliefs in Friuli, Veneto and Abruzzo. Even Calabria and Sardinia have their own "trick or treat" formula in dialect to ask for sweets.
Did you know that…?
Turnips were carved on Halloween. The immigrants in America did not find turnips big enough to carve but only very beautiful pumpkins.
The term Halloween, of Irish origin, literally means all saints night. The original term was "All Hallow's Eve" that is, the eve of all saints and for this reason it was celebrated on October 31st.
In those times, most of the populations were farmers and their trade was based on agriculture. The color orange symbolized the harvest and black, the darkness of winter. This festival was called "Samhain".
It was also believed that on the night of October 31, spirits could return to earth and take possession of the living. A myth that was able to terrify all the villagers. To avoid possession, the inhabitants turned off the lights of the house and uncovered their faces and bodies with horrible masks and clothes, to be unattractive to the spirits.
As time went on, less and less was heard of the myth but people continued to dress up as a tradition.
IN AMERICA
Irish and Scottish immigrants brought their traditions with them to the USA in the 1800s. The ancient reason for celebrating All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day became less and less important, leaving room for fun. It is now a widespread celebration in America and Canada, where children dress up and leave the house, knocking from door to door, reciting the famous phrase "trick-or-treat" in search of all kinds of sweets.
IN ITALY
For centuries in Puglia, the eve of All Saints' Day has been celebrated with decorated pumpkins, to light the way for the souls in purgatory.
Dressing up in a frightening way and believing that the dead return to earth are age-old beliefs in Friuli, Veneto and Abruzzo. Even Calabria and Sardinia have their own "trick or treat" formula in dialect to ask for sweets.
Did you know that…?
Turnips were carved on Halloween. The immigrants in America did not find turnips big enough to carve but only very beautiful pumpkins.