{"id":3528,"date":"2016-10-04T08:45:17","date_gmt":"2016-10-04T12:45:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theseacoastmoms.com\/?p=3528"},"modified":"2016-10-04T08:45:17","modified_gmt":"2016-10-04T12:45:17","slug":"history-halloween-celebrate-seacoast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theseacoastmoms.com\/holidays\/history-halloween-celebrate-seacoast\/","title":{"rendered":"A History of Halloween and How to Celebrate on the Seacoast"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"halloween-1\"<\/p>\n

Ever wonder how\u00a0Halloween came to be the\u00a0holiday it is today?<\/p>\n

The spooky holiday’s\u00a0origins trace back\u00a0to the Druids<\/a> (Celtic pagans) who inhabited Ireland about 2,000 years ago. Samhain, a Gaelic festival,\u00a0marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. The spirits of those who died the preceding year would roam the earth during this time, and the mystic veil separating the living from the dead opened on Samhain,\u00a0looking for a body to possess.<\/p>\n

Consequently, the Celts were terrified and masqueraded as demons, ghosts and evil spirits in disguise. They prepared “treats” for the spirits to avoid “tricks,” or evil intent.<\/span><\/h2>\n

Traditions changed when the Romans conquered the Celtic land and their customs infiltrated the Celtic culture. Fast-forward to\"trickortreatchildren\" the Middle Ages, and many Celts had converted to Christianity. Samhain became All Saint’s Day. Then, thousands\u00a0Europeans immigrated to the United States in the nineteenth century and brought with them their traditions, creating what is now “trick-or-treat”\u00a0today. <\/span><\/p>\n

Halloween became a secular, community-based holiday over time. In the 1950’s, the holiday aimed to stop\u00a0youth from engaging in\u00a0vandalism. The birth of our modern-day Halloween had arrived.<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"hocuspocus\"Many of us associate Halloween memories with pumpkins, apple bobbing, cider, costumes and the movie, Hocus Pocus. I enjoy this time of year with my little girls each year. Who wouldn’t delight in their\u00a0squeals of excitement when they try on their costumes, or when and eagerly anticipate the mountains of candy they’ll receive!<\/p>\n

I may be biased, but living in the Seacoast makes this holiday even better. After all, our local community offers plenty of Halloween activities for families. Below are some highlights to help you navigate your way through the Halloween hocus pocus! For a comprehensive guide, take a look at\u00a0our 2016 Ultimate Guide to Fall and Halloween in the Seacoast and Beyond<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Events\u00a0for Children<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n