Halloween: Classic Traditions

This post focuses on Halloween as practiced in the United States and as influenced by European traditions. The term “commercial Halloween” is used to distinguish practices from religious observances that take place on or near Halloween.

Halloween Parties

Commercial Halloween parties can be considered rooted in Samhain gatherings, although the fun, autumnal celebration in the U.S. is probably more likely from harvest or autumn “play parties” or social gatherings in colonial North America that  may have included ghost stories and autumn games like bobbing for apples.

Jack-o-Lantern 

Once again, carving a gourd, like a turnip or pumpkin, and putting a light inside as a lantern is credited with origins in Samhain.

A more detailed origin story involves a mean man named Jack who’s ghost ended up wandering the earth with a turnip lantern.

When European immigrants came to North America, they traded the turnip for a pumpkin.

Masks and costumes

It is uncertain where the tradition of wearing a mask or costume came from. Some say the practice originated with Samhain; others say there is little evidence of that. 

A casual observation suggests that in the United States, as people had more expendable income, elaborate costumes became more important to the holiday. Also, as social tolerance for gore and horror grew, very scary masks and costumes for children became more acceptable. 

I was scared of what the algorithms would give me when I wasn’t prepared if I searched for why sexy costumes are popular at Halloween, especially sexy scary.

Parades

Is this a classic tradition? I hadn’t heard of one until I started researching this topic, but apparently, Halloween parades in North America have existed for a long time. If you want to count Guy Fawkes processions, then the tradition goes back even farther. 

I couldn’t find a lot on the history of Halloween parades. I did find bits and pieces that put Halloween parades in the mid-twentieth century. 

Trick-or-Treat

No one knows exactly when the custom of asking for treats in order to prevent the asker from vandalizing a home started, but the tradition is credited with origins in Samhain. By the 1920s, the term, or versions of it, were in print, although it seems that the practice goes back to pre-colonial days in the U.S. and was unrelated to religious observances.