Halloween also Hallow-e'en

Do you know when Halloween started?
Did you know that once it was a Holy Evening?

Halloween is the name applied to the evening of October 31, preceding the Christian feast of Hallowmas, Allhallows, or All Saints' Day.

When did people first celebrate Halloween?

Halloween's roots can be traced back to Celtic culture in Ireland. According to their "Druid" religion, November 1st was New Years' on their calendar. The celebration would begin on October 31st ,and last into the following day.

The ancient Druids believed that on that evening, Saman, the lord of the dead, called forth hosts of evil spirits.

The Druids customarily lit great fires on Halloween, apparently for the purpose of warding off all these spirits.

Among the ancient Celts, Halloween was the last evening of the year and was regarded as a propitious time for examining the portents of the future. The Celts also believed that the spirits of the dead revisited their earthly homes on that evening.

After the Romans conquered Britain, they added to Halloween features of the Roman harvest festival held on November 1 in honor of Pomona, goddess of the fruits of trees.

Elements of that festival were incorporated into the Christian holiday of All Hallows' Eve, the night preceding All Saints' (Hallows') Day. Children's pranks replaced witches' tricks in the 19th century, but most of the other Halloween customs are probably survivals from the Celtic festival.

The Celtic tradition of lighting fires on Halloween survived until modern times in Scotland and Wales, and the concept of ghosts and witches is still common to all Halloween observances.

Traces of the Roman harvest festival survive in the custom, prevalent in both the United States and Great Britain, of playing games involving fruit, such as ducking for apples in a tub of water. Of similar origin is the use of hollowed-out turnips or pumpkins carved to resemble grotesque faces and lit by candles placed inside.

Are there Christian overtones to the holiday?

The Roman Catholic Church created All Saints Day (also called Hallomas) on November 1st to honor Saints and All Souls Day on November 2nd to honor and pray for the souls of the dead. It's said that these holidays were created by the church, in part to downplay the pagan holidays.

Roman Catholic and Anglican churches. November 1 feast of the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches, the day God is glorified for all his saints, known and unknown.

Roman Catholics are obliged to hear Mass on this day.

In medieval England it was called All Hallows; hence the name Halloween (Hallow e'en) for the preceding day (Oct. 31).

What else does Halloween signify?

1. Halloween also marks the end of harvest season.
   
   The end of October marks the time that pastures and fields dry up. The animals were brought in from the pasture to be butchered and the remaining vegetables left in fields and gardens were left to rot. This part of the season often brought about reminisce of loved ones that were lost.
   
   
2. Why do we dress up on Halloween?
   
   The Celts believed that on Samhain the spirits of the dead would gather together, taking on different forms. Bad spirits would manifest themselves as animals, with the most evil ones becoming cats. In order to keep these spirits away people would dress up in costumes made from the skins and heads of their animals and carry lanterns, made out of turnips, to light their way. These lanterns would be painted or carved with faces in an effort to scare off any evil spirits.
   
   
3. If the Celts carved turnips, why do we use pumpkins?
   
   When the celebration of Halloween became popular in the US, the use of pumpkins for lanterns began. Pumpkins were more freely available than turnips in the US.
   
   

A long time ago

A long time ago the Church decided to celebrate All Saints Day on November 1 every year. It was a special day to help those who love Jesus remember the saints who loved Jesus so much, they gave their lives to help others. It's said that All Saints Day was created by the church, in part to downplay the pagan holidays.

The evening before this very important day was called a hallowed or holy evening (a little like Christmas Eve). People were asked to use the time to get ready to remember the saints who loved Jesus.

During this hallowed evening (Hallowe'en), the poor could go to the homes of those who loved Jesus and ask for food. If you loved Jesus, you would bake some special cakes and put a candle in the window to welcome the poor.

But some people hate Jesus and all those who follow Him. They tease and torment them, they dress up like witches, devils and ghosts, knocking on the doors of those who follow Jesus and try to do evil mischief. It is a cruel thing to do especially taking a holy evening and turning it into something evil.

But that's something you should know: That sin enters every part of our world and ruins it. But Jesus came into our world to take all the punishment for sin so you and I can be right with God. That's why I love Jesus and try my hardest to do what He wants.

Choose you this day whom you will serve

1. Joshua 24:14-15
   14 Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.
   15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
   
   
2. Matthew 6:22-24
   22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
   23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
   24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
   25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
   26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
   
   

When the children come knocking on your door on Halloween you should be sure to let them know that you are a Christian. Also be sure to include a note or tract that tells them about the great love of Jesus and His power to set them free from their sins. Invite them to bring their parents to Church or to a Bible Study where they can learn more about Jesus and His love for all mankind.

Christians are people that claim to serve God, and, I really don't see how a person that claims to be a Christian can celebrate with the devils, demons, warlocks, and witches on Halloween. I believe that a person that is a true Christian will put aside the devilish side of Halloween and really celebrate the Hallowed Evening (Hallow-e'en) preceding All Saints Day.