The Origins of Halloween

The Origins of Halloween and how it Became a Commercial Event

- Anna H.

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), the anticipated spending for Halloween 2021 in the United States will be $10.1 billion. To give you an idea of what this represents, it is more than the GDP of the Maldives. But how did Halloween become such an important event?

A short history of Halloween :

Though different tales are told as to exactly how Halloween became the celebration we all know, most agree that the roots of the current practices come from a Celtic festival called Samhain. It celebrated their new year - which started the next day - and the transition from the end of the harvest season to the beginning of winter. During this festival, the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead were said to be blurred, allowing ghosts to return to earth. The Celts believed that the world of the gods became visible to mortals during Samhain and the gods were said to play tricks on their worshipers. From this festival we inherit many of the most appreciated customs of Halloween such as trick or treating, and dressing up.

By 43 AD, when the majority of Celtic territories were invaded by the Roman Empire, the Roman festival of Feralia, which commemorated the passing of the dead, as well as the festival honoring Pomona, goddess of fruits and trees, were incorporated into Samhain.

The Christian holiday of All Saints Day - or All Hallows’ Day - was first created May 13, 609 AD as “all martyrs day” but later moved to November 1 and made to include all saints as well. By the 9th century, Christianity had spread to Celtic lands, blending with, and later surpassing, the Celtic festivals. From this holiday comes the name Halloween or All Hallows’ eve, the evening before All Saints Day.

Halloween In the United States:

In the colonies, Halloween wasn’t celebrated much because of the strict protestant beliefs in place. It was not until the Irish potato famine in the late 19th century, which led to the arrival of millions of Irish immigrants, that Halloween began to transform into the event we know it to be. By the 1950s, the practice of trick or treating was already a major commercial event and Halloween had lost most of its religious and superstitious meaning. Today, Halloween is the second largest commercial holiday after Christmas.

Side note:

Another custom which is quite similar to Halloween is el Día de Muertos , the day of the dead in Spanish, which occurs at the same time of year in Mexico. However, el dia de los muertos is not an adaptation of Halloween as some may be tempted to believe. Indeed, the origins of the festival come from prehispanic traditions and it is nowadays one of the most important celebrations in Mexico. Whilst it is true that nowadays it is quite linked to Christian holidays, it has a very different perspective from Halloween on the role of the dead. The greatest difference is that during el Día de Muertos the dead are not feared but welcomed into the homes of their families.

Why do we Like Different Things?

- Karina G.

It can sometimes be hard to understand why one might be so enthusiastic about a subject you take no interest in whatsoever. After all, no one enjoys the exact same things, or likes the exact same subject for the exact same reasons. But what truly differentiates people when discussing their passions? What makes each view on subjects unique from one another?

Different context, different mindset

The first element in attempting to understand why taste varies greatly is exposure, hinting towards the significance of life experiences in understanding the world. In that sense, the culture and environment in which one lives shapes their take on life. A social mechanism is at play: interactions and given insights contribute to the way people interpret and tackle situations, whether it be deciding which outfit they like best or whether to launch a new business. Even more so, with global and personal context constantly evolving, so do our preferences. This further explains why rather than being a definite, fixed notion, taste is more of an unfolding process; one would not view the world in the same way at 10 and at 30. Age accompanies a progression in terms of preferences, with more knowledge and memories gained throughout the years. If you desperately wanted to become a singer when you were five, you might have since diverged from that dream.

On a more scientific note, levels of dopamine released when doing an activity that you enjoy do explain the dissimilarities between people’s interests and passions. This hormone responsible for a feeling of joy and of satisfaction is not produced the same way for all, revealing the varying nature of sources of pleasure for all people.

Subject preferences: interview with 3 students

In order to better understand what differentiates us when discussing our interests, two questions were asked to students passionate about diverse subjects: what do you like about your favorite subject? What does it bring to you that other ones might not? A math, a biology and a literature lover were thus interviewed.

“There is a ‘wow’ effect on me”

Biology was first discussed, revealing some riveting responses: “I’m more the person who likes to understand how things work”, states our interviewee. “Providing concrete explanations” to “deep and complex questions” by zooming into molecular levels, is for them a compelling aim and purpose. They also evoke a feeling of joyous “revelations” possible in biology, accompanying a profound understanding of a certain notion. “There’s still so much to learn about, even more so than in physics or in chemistry. I’m always excited to go in the classroom, and feel more alert and enthralled by whatever goes on in biology class than in any other subject.” They further evoke a “wow factor” present in those studies, an effect that lacks in other disciplines.

A math enthusiast was then asked the same two questions. Referring to the “satisfying 100% certainty” which math can provide, its logical and “simply elegant” aspect was discussed. The notion of concrete “right and wrong” can here be evoked; finding the solution to a problem by applying known methods