Mondawe

Skeletons, witches, scary ghosts, and scary atmosphere in the house. That's how you celebrate Halloween. But do you know why people take this holiday seriously? Read on to learn more about this more traditional folklore myth on October 31.

In recent years, we've forgotten how to celebrate Halloween, thinking it's all about dressing up in silly costumes and scary makeup and partying together, without recognizing the influence of the myth.

What is the origin of Halloween?

First, let's analyze the etymology of the word. This will actually reveal a great deal of information about the roots of this celebration.

Halloween or Hallowe'en is a shortened form of "All Hallows' Eve"; the night before "All Hallows Day", the day of all the saints.

Although we encounter the word All Hallows - hallows meaning saints - it was not used in this way until the 16th century.

The specific word All Saints was used by the Anglican Church in the early 18th century, borrowed by the Scots.

The Christian influence on Halloween is also undeniable; the next day is dedicated to the celebration of deceased souls, and it is common to see these phenomena with bells ringing or preachers wandering the streets in black robes.

Another interesting tradition was the vigil; carving crosses and baking cakes were not uncommon.
As time grew, superstitious fears took over, making Halloween a ritual to combat these dark spirits and the influence of witches.

The practice of placing pumpkin lights was done to drive away evil spirits and protect Christians from being haunted.

People would wear masks to hide from the tormenting spirits who wished for revenge so they could move on.

Christian pastor Prince Solly Conte writes, "Tradition holds that the spirits of the dead wander the earth until All Saints' Day, and that All Saints' Eve provides the dead with one last chance to take revenge on their enemies before moving on to the next world. To avoid being recognized by any spirits who might seek such revenge, people would wear masks or costumes to conceal their identities".
It is worth emphasizing that this notion, which was later questioned as a pagan belief against the idea of predestination, eventually became the day we celebrate the dead.

How Halloween is celebrated today
We are continuing this celebration using centuries-old customs handed down from the ancients. Trick-or-treating and quizzes. Every year dozens of little skeletons, princesses and some adults will knock on the door and what happens if you don't give them candy. People actually dress up as supernatural beings and ask people for food, basically accepting the invitation on behalf of these supernatural beings and signifying their hospitality.

In Christianity, the practice of invoking spirits is similar. The poor lower classes would knock on the doors of the rich and ask for donations in exchange for prayers for the dead.

As far as costumes are concerned, it is believed that by wearing these costumes one is imitating these supernatural beings.

The bonfire represents the cleansing power of the sun. The smoke and ashes purify and protect from other worldly creatures.

The Occult Symbolism of Halloween
We are fascinated by the unknown. We have the ability to uncover the deep secrets of the world and our psyche.

Halloween offers an opportunity to explore the paranormal in a safe way. By imitating vampires, witches, and scary monsters, we become desensitized to their shocking effects.

It is said that during Halloween there is a magical legend that women holding candles in front of a mirror will see their future husbands.

There is also one where it is believed that on the night of October 31, the thin veil that separates our world from the other world will become thinner and we can interact with them.

Ghosts, witches and the paranormal
Creaking doors, lights outdoor, whistling winds and half-lit corridors can provide fodder for our unruly imaginations. It is not uncommon to see ghostly emanations and hear the hysterical laughter of witches.

We often associate these times with an increase in paranormal activity. Classic horror books like Frankenstein and Dracula were written against the backdrop of this spooky season.

A ritual
These celebrations are our quirky way of articulating the passage of time, the transition from one season to the next.