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Halloween <span class="SFPTagline"> From SCIFIPEDIA </span>
 Halloween or All Hallows Eve occurs on October 31 every year. It is said that the dead walk the Earth the night before All Saints' Day.
HistoryHalloween originated with the ancient Celtic celebration of Samhain which occurred on October 31. This celebration goes back more than 2000 years. It marked the beginning of the cold and barren part of the year and was associated with death and the spirits of the dead. The dead were believed to walk the earth on this night so bonfires were lit and animal skins donned for protection. The Catholic church later co-opted this religious event and renamed it All Hallows Eve since it was on the the eve of All Hallows Day (All Saints Day). Practices, creatures, and symbolsTrick-or-treatingTrick-or-treating is a widely recognized Halloween practice. It is an activity in which children go from house to house asking for treats with the question, "Trick or treat?" Trick-or-treating is done with children donning Halloween costumes. It has become socially required that if one lives in a neighborhood with children to purchase treats in preparation for trick-or-treaters. CreaturesCreatures that are traditionally associated with Halloween fall into three categories, although not necessarily into just one of them. There are the mythical creatures from folklore that have come to be connected with the holiday. Then there are creatures from fiction that are now thought of in relation to Halloween. Finally there are actual creatures that are related to Halloween, although often their relation is established through folklore. Mythical creaturesOne of Halloween's mythical creatures is a ghost. This is a creature that has a strong connection to the original pagan holiday of Samhain (pronounced sow-wen). Another is a ghoul. Ghouls are foul beings that haunt graveyards. Vampires are also prevalent. A vampire is an animated corpse, one of the undead. For it to continue to live it must drink human blood. A werewolf is a human who has been placed under a curse, usually by being bitten by another werewolf, and during a full moon they turn into werewolves. A Halloween witch is a female who engages in magic and casts spells. The male version is generally referred to as a warlock. Creatures from fictionCount Dracula is a vampire from fiction that was created by author Bram Stoker. He was loosely based on Vlad Tepes of Romania and our image of him as cultural icon has largely been shaped by the portrayal of him by Bela Lugosi in the 1931 movie version of Dracula. The Grim Reaper, or Death, is another product of literature. He has appeared in many forms in literature for centuries. Today he is normally featured as a skeletal figure wearing a black gown with a cowl. A Halloween mummy is inspired by the 1932 movie The Mummy. This is an Egyptian mummy that has come back to life and is malevolent.  Real creaturesBats are very prominent as a Halloween symbol. In folklore bats are closely associated with vampires, who are said to be able to transform into them. Bats are also a symbol of ghosts, death, and disease. Black cats are also very popular during this season. They are traditionally associated with witches or demons. Skeletons are used to symbolize death.  Jack-o'-lanternJack-o'-lanterns are the ubiquitous Halloween symbol. They are made from hollowed out pumpkins with a face carved into them. Often the face is made to appear frightful. A candle is placed inside the lantern to illuminate it. From Irish folklore comes the legend of the jack-o'-lantern. A drunkard named Jack stumbled home from a night of drinking at a local tavern. The Devil appeared and demanded that Jack come to Hell with him because of his evil ways. Jack convinced the Devil to climb a nearby tree to pick an apple. As the Devil climbed the tree, Jack carved a cross in the tree's trunk thereby preventing the Devil from coming back down. The Devil demanded that Jack release him. Jack said he would if the Devil promised to never admit him to Hell. The Devil agreed. When Jack died he was too sinful to be allowed into Heaven, but the Devil would not let him into Hell, so Jack carved out one of his turnips, put a candle inside it, and began endlessly wandering the Earth looking for a place where he could find eternal rest. Halloween festivalHalloween festivals are an annual event in many communities. These events are usually put on by the communities themselves, service groups, churches, and schools to celebrate Halloween. The festivals are usually held in the latter part of October, shortly before Halloween. They often involve people dressing in costume. The people who are working at the event are the ones most likely to be in costume. The festivals consist of attractions such as haunted houses, haunted trails, and games of chance and skill. Food
Various other practices
BooksClick the ISBN links to find sources to order books.
MoviesTelevisionCelebrities
See AlsoReferences
To see specific information, such as individual movies, please click the Halloween category link at the bottom of this article. To see other articles that reference Halloween, please click the What Links Here tool in the toolbox at the bottom of this page.
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