Halloween known also as Samhain is a Celtic festival which is one of the four major holidays celebrated by the Paleopagan Druids, referred to as "fire festivals". I am quoting this from the internet site The real origins of Halloween. Fire hat of course its importance in many cultures: to the ancient Celts fire was a symbol of divinity, holiness, truth and beauty.
Samhain was the original festival that took place from October, 31 to November, 2. These 3 days were for the Druids the time to connect with the spirit of their loved ones, who passed on the other side, because the spirit of the dead was for them a source of guidance not of fear.
With the coming of Christianity, this festival was turned into Hallowe'en.
Druids, who were a well organised and well structured society, used this three days to practically "go crazy", men dressed as women, women as men, and children knocked on neighbours houses for food and treats.
Samhain, pronounced as sow-an or sow-in, is derived from old Irish, and it means "summer's end" and the beginning of dark and winter. It is the end of one season, and the beginning of the other half of year, dark and cold. It was also the time to make stocks of food for the winter stores.
The word Halloween is first attested in the 16th Century, it is a Scottish variant of "All Hallows Even (evening) or Eve", the night before the Christian All Saints day on November, 1st.
According to Historian Nicholas Roger, men and women used to dress, wearing customs and masks, to ward of harmful spirits. It was believed that on that day, the line between the world of the alive and the dead was thin, and that time, allowed the passage of good and evil spirits.
I found on the internet that there are several theories about Halloween, and all are very interesting. But I found the theory of the internet page, I found, very fascinating. The festival was taken than to North America by the Irish immigrants in the 1846, because of the famine. They brought with them the customs of Halloween. For more details on that, I find an interesting page History.com which brings and interesting article
But I always wondered why people use pumpkins on that festival.
I found these interesting legend on Wiki answers on why people use pumpkins on Halloween:
"700,000 immigrants came to America in the 1800s during the Irish Potato Famine, bringing with them the traditions of Halloween and the use of Jack O Lanterns. Traditionally, the lantern was carved from a turnip, potato, or beet and lit with a burning lump of coal or a candle. These lanterns represented the souls of the departed loved ones and were placed in windows or set on porches to welcome the deceased. They also served as protection against malevolent spirits or goblins freed from the dead. Turnips and gourds were not as readily available in the Americas so the pumpkin was used and found to be quite an adequate replacement. The pumpkin jack o- lantern has been an essential part of Halloween celebrations since the Victorian days and today is a universal symbol of Halloween.
There are many lore's and legends surrounding the origin of the Jack O Lantern. The most popular tale is that of a Nowell Irishman name Jack. Well known for his drunken meanness, Jack got so intoxicated on a Halloween that his soul began to leave his body. The Devil saw an opportunity to claim a victim and promptly came to earth. Jack was desperate to avoid his fate so he begged the Devil to allow him one last drink. The Devil consented but stated that Jack would have to pay for his drink because the Devil carried no money. Jack claimed to only have a sixpence left and asked that the Devil assume the shape of a sixpence to pay for the drink. Then, tab paid, the Devil could change back to himself.
The Devil considered the request reasonable and changed himself into a sixpence. Jack immediately grabbed the coin and put it in his wallet, which had a cross shaped catch. The Devil was unable to get out and began ranting and cursing. They then made a deal that the Devil would be released if he agreed to let Jack alone for one year. The Devil agreed and Jack set forth to reform is behaviour over the next year. It wasn't long before Jack slipped back into his mean, drunken ways and the next All Hallows Eve the Devil appeared to Jack and demanded his soul. Once again, Jack was desperate to save himself and did so by tricking the Devil.
He suggested to the Devil that he may want one of the delicious apples hanging in a tree nearby. He offered to allow the Devil to climb on his shoulders to reach the apples. Once the Devil was in the tree, Jack pulled out a pocket knife and carved a cross in the tree trunk. The Devil could not get out of the tree. Furious and desperate, the Devil offered Jack ten years of peace in exchange for freeing him. Jack insisted that The Devil never bother him again and he would be freed. The Devil resentfully agreed. Jack then returned to his old ways but before the next Halloween, his body gave out and he passed.
He was turned away at the gates of Heaven because of the meanness in his life. The Devil refused him at the gates of hell, stating that he would never bother him again and told him to return from whence he came. To help Jack see on his journey, the Devil threw him a burning lump of coal from hell. Jack put the ember inside of a turnip and it has been Jack's light on his eternal wanderings ever since. To protect oneself from Jack on All Hallows Eve, jack o lanterns were placed on porches and in windows, in hopes that Jack would take the light if needed instead of bothering anyone."
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