Traditions
It’s another day of me not having much to do except look for jobs. I’m thinking if I want a job fast, I may have to work evenings. I put studying on hold while I look for a job. But that’s what I’ve been doing today. I didn’t even have any chores to do! One would probably be content about that. But me? It makes me restless and wanting to get up and find something to do. And I did get up from my chair quite often to see if there was something I could do. But yes, there are things I could do, but it’s important that I find a job. So, I went back to the computer. I did procrastinate during lunch. I went down a rabbit hole while reading some articles on Halloween and past traditions.
I also wrote a bit about my findings during lunch. Halloween to me is kind of controversial. I like Halloween, but I know of others who don’t like this holiday. And it got me thinking about its history and what it means today. I put it behind spoiler tags in case one does not want to read about Halloween. But if you want to read, click on the arrow.
Halloween: Does Its History Define What It Means Today?
It’s almost Halloween. When I think of Halloween, I picture kids dressing up in costumes and going door to door asking for candy. But for many people, Halloween means something entirely different.
Some people avoid Halloween because of its historical connections to Samhain (pronounced SAH-win) and Pagan traditions. Others distinguish those origins from modern celebrations, which are often more about fun and tradition than religion.
That got me thinking about a question I find genuinely interesting: If a holiday has roots in a pre-Christian religious tradition, does participating in it mean participating in that religion?
I wanted to take a closer look at the history and understand why people see Halloween so differently.
A Little History
Halloween has both ancient Celtic and Christian historical connections.
* Samhain: An ancient Gaelic seasonal festival marking the transition from summer into winter. It was associated with the end of the harvest and supernatural folklore, including beliefs about spirits and the otherworld.
* All Saints’ Day: A Christian feast honoring the saints, established on November 1 in the Western Church.
* All Hallows’ Eve: The evening before All Saints’ Day, which eventually became known as Halloween.
* The 1800s: Irish and Scottish immigrants brought Halloween customs to North America, where they evolved and spread.
* Today: Halloween has become a popular cultural holiday featuring costumes, pumpkin carving, parties, and trick-or-treating.
Over the centuries, Christian observances, older seasonal customs, and regional folklore influenced the traditions we recognize today.
However, historians debate exactly how these traditions influenced one another. We cannot confidently say that every Halloween custom came from Samhain or that Halloween was simply created as a disguise for Pagan worship.
Why Do Some People Believe Halloween Is Evil?
The reasoning often goes something like this:
* Samhain was an ancient festival with Pagan religious and supernatural associations.
* Some of its traditional customs involved beliefs about spirits and the otherworld.
* Halloween developed in a cultural environment where older traditions and Christian observances eventually overlapped.
* Therefore, some people conclude that celebrating Halloween means participating in something with Pagan religious roots.
The first three points have historical grounding, although the details are more complicated than popular accounts sometimes suggest.
The fourth point, however, is a religious conclusion rather than an automatic consequence of the history.
Some people believe that a holiday’s origins continue to influence its spiritual meaning today. They may feel that avoiding Halloween is the safest way to remain faithful to God, especially given the Bible’s warnings against occult practices and the worship of other gods.
I can understand why someone might reach that conclusion, even if others interpret the history differently.
Does the Origin of a Tradition Determine Its Meaning Today?
This is where I think the discussion gets interesting.
A person carving a pumpkin today may simply be enjoying an autumn tradition. They aren’t necessarily acknowledging Samhain, believing in Celtic deities, or performing a religious ritual.
Some modern Pagan practitioners celebrate Samhain as a religious holiday. That is different from saying that everyone who celebrates Halloween is participating in that religion.
Think about wedding rings, birthday candles, evergreen decorations, and other customs that have acquired different meanings across cultures and centuries. Their histories can be complicated, but people today may use them without adopting every belief associated with their origins.
That doesn’t mean historical origins are irrelevant. It simply means we should consider both where a tradition came from and what it means to the people who practice it today.
What If Someone Chooses Not to Celebrate Halloween?
I think that deserves respect, too.
Some people believe Christians should avoid customs associated with pre-Christian religious traditions, even when modern activities seem harmless. Others believe that intention matters and that celebrating with family does not constitute Pagan worship.
Neither position requires us to assume bad intentions.
The disagreement comes down to how people interpret historical origins, religious symbolism, personal conscience, and their relationship with God.
Someone can choose not to celebrate Halloween because of religious conviction or discomfort with its imagery. At the same time, we should be careful about assuming that everyone who participates is doing something evil.
I wouldn’t claim that every activity associated with Halloween is spiritually harmless, because specific actions and intentions matter. But I also wouldn’t conclude that every person celebrating Halloween is participating in Pagan worship.
My Takeaway
I think it’s important to understand the history of the traditions we participate in, even when that history is complicated. Learning about Samhain, the Christian observances surrounding All Saints’ Day, and the development of modern Halloween helps explain why people have such different opinions about this holiday.
We can acknowledge the Pagan connections without assuming that modern Halloween is simply a festival of Satan. We can also respect those who choose to avoid it because of their faith.
Understanding someone’s beliefs doesn’t mean we have to agree with them. And understanding a tradition’s origins doesn’t necessarily mean we must interpret its present-day meaning in the same way.
Resources:
https://www.bu.edu/articles/2019/how-did-halloween-get-started/
https://www.open.edu/openlearn/history-the-arts/culture/religious-studies/the-history-halloween
https://source.museum.ie/en-IE/Collections-Research/Folklife-Collections/Folklife-Collections-List-%281%29/Religion-and-Calendar-Customs/Hallowe-en-Samhain
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/halloween-owes-its-tricks-and-treats-celtic-new-years-eve-180960944/
https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/frightening-fiestas-and-sacred-ceremonies
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We live out in the country, so we don’t really get any trick-or-treaters out here. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have Halloween candy, though! I still say we need to buy some, even if it’s just for us. You can’t let a little thing like not having trick-or-treaters get in the way of enjoying Halloween candy.
I think I’m going to make myself a cup of tea here in a bit. I’m really enjoying the tea I picked out at the tea restaurant we went to a few weeks ago. It’s called Sweet Autumn Crisp Rooibos, and it’s an autumn-inspired tea with brown sugar and sweet, grilled pineapple. It has such a lovely fall flavor that makes me think of crisp autumn days, changing leaves, and cozy evenings.
Tommy has band practice tonight, which means we’re on our own for dinner. We have some leftovers in the fridge, so I’ll probably just heat something rather than go to the trouble of making a whole meal. I was at first thinking of making oatmeal, but that doesn’t always fill me up. We’ll see.
Now I just have to decide what to do with the rest of my evening. Maybe I’ll read and enjoy some quiet time. Or perhaps I’ll play some Final Fantasy XIV. I’ve been spending some time in PvP lately, working toward earning trophies for glamour gear and trying to get the latest mount. I’m definitely not the best at PvP, but I’m having fun with it.
I could also spend some time writing a few more Christmas cards. I think I’m getting pretty close to being finished with them. It’s almost time for me to make the Thanksgiving menu. We want a simple, easy menu this year. The basics. With lumpia, probably because Alexis keeps mentioning it. Lumpia is a traditional spring roll found in Filipino cuisine. I tried to make it healthier by using the air fryer, but it doesn’t come out right. You need to fry it in oil for it to be authentic. The holidays make the end of the year go by so fast.
We are going over to a friend’s house on Saturday. We are gaming. Then Sunday, Tommy wants to go take pictures of fall foliage. So we will be doing that.
Since we are fending for ourselves, I wonder if I should just get something to eat now or wait a bit till Kel and Chris come home. I may wait. Enjoy my tea and read until they get home.
