lil' bits of this-n-that: What Exactly Is The History Of Halloween

Halloween was one of two great fire festivals celebrated by the Celtic Druids over two thousand years ago on the evening of October 31. Called the festival of Samhain, it marked the beginning of winter and was referred to as the day of the dead and joyful harvest.

The festival paid tribute to the sun god Baal, who provided the ripened grain. This time of year brought increasing power to charms, spells, and fortune-telling. When you honored the spirits of the dead, it was believed they would help you. Ignoring them would cause punishment.

During the seventh century, the Roman Church set aside All Saints' Day on November 1 in memory of the early Christians who died for their beliefs. All Saints' Day was called All Hallows', and October 31 was All Hallows' Eve, later shortened to Halloween.

In the tenth century, November 2 was named All Souls' Day by the Roman Church in memory of the souls of the dead. In many countries today, Halloween, All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day are merged as one religious holiday.

Halloween was brought to the United States by the Scotch in the nineteenth century.

Atlantic Ocean

Another little-known origin of Halloween and the importance of October 31 relating to witches and the festival of the dead comes from the Mayans. Their sacred books describe the sinking of a continent in the Atlantic Ocean on October 31, 11,000 years ago, drowning 64 million inhabitants.
The Mayans believed that this land sank because those who gained power to use the occult forces no longer devoted them to the welfare of the people, but instead to their own selfish advantage. The land had become infested with witches and black magicians. We commemorate the death of this continent and its people on Halloween.