When people think of Halloween, some view as a holiday of fun. Its purpose in the United States is viewed as a holiday for children and adults alike, since children get free candy from trick or treating, while adults go out partying while dressed in costumes. However, Halloween’s actual purpose was more of a holiday or festival in the Celtic religion called Samhain, the holiday was to mark the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. As time passed, Halloween went from festivals for the harvest season to a holiday for kids and adults here in the States. Halloween is a composite of many elements from the part including the influence of the Celts, the contribution of the Christians, and the customs of the people of the New England
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Halloween was extremely limited in colonial New England because of the rigid Protestant belief systems there. However, in the southern colonies, Halloween was more common since the beliefs and customs of European and Native Americans merged to what the American version of Halloween became. Soon, in the mid-1800s, immigrants from Ireland and Scotland brought their traditions that helped shape Halloween, including such traditions as bobbing for apples, telling ghost stories, and the early version of trick or treat which included people dressing up in costumes and going to house to house asking for food or money. By the late 1800s, the early version of Halloween was more about community and neighborly get-togethers than about ghosts, pranks, and witchcraft. However, by the 1920s and 1930s, the mischief and pranks began to turn into acts of vandalism, property damage and at several points’ physical assaults. Eventually by the late 30s, vandalism decreased due to efforts by schools and communities to curb these by encouraging a safer “Trick or Treat” concept and many groups set up school carnivals for others to enjoy at Halloween. Eventually, Halloween became more of an American holiday for both children and adults alike
Halloween was extremely limited in colonial New England because of the rigid Protestant belief systems there. However, in the southern colonies, Halloween was more common since the beliefs and customs of European and Native Americans merged to what the American version of Halloween became. Soon, in the mid-1800s, immigrants from Ireland and Scotland brought their traditions that helped shape Halloween, including such traditions as bobbing for apples, telling ghost stories, and the early version of trick or treat which included people dressing up in costumes and going to house to house asking for food or money. By the late 1800s, the early version of Halloween was more about community and neighborly get-togethers than about ghosts, pranks, and witchcraft. However, by the 1920s and 1930s, the mischief and pranks began to turn into acts of vandalism, property damage and at several points’ physical assaults. Eventually by the late 30s, vandalism decreased due to efforts by schools and communities to curb these by encouraging a safer “Trick or Treat” concept and many groups set up school carnivals for others to enjoy at Halloween. Eventually, Halloween became more of an American holiday for both children and adults alike