Halloween is a holiday celebrated each year on October 31, and Halloween 2022 will occur on Monday, October 31. The tradition originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor all saints. Soon, All Saints Day incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before was known as All Hallows Eve, and later Halloween. best halloween parties in the world
Over time, Halloween evolved into a day of activities like trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, festive gatherings, donning costumes and eating treats.
The History of Halloween best halloween parties in the world
Halloween‘s roots can be found in the historic Samhain festival of the Celts (pronounced sow-in). On November 1, the Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in a region that is today primarily Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated the beginning of their new year.
On this day, summer, harvest, and the gloomy, chilly winter, which was sometimes a season of fatalities for people, came to an end. The night before the new year, according to the Celts, the line separating the living from the dead becomes hazy. On the evening of October 31, they observed Samhain, a time when it was thought that the spirits of the dead made a comeback to the planet.
By the 9th century, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands, where it gradually blended with and supplanted older Celtic rites.
In A.D. 1000, the church made November 2 All Souls’ Day, a day to honor the dead. It’s widely believed today that the church was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, church-sanctioned holiday.
All Souls’ Day was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels and devils. The All Saints’ Day celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints’ Day) and the night before it, the traditional night of Samhain in the Celtic religion, began to be called All-Hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween.
History of Trick-or-Treating best halloween parties in the world
Borrowing from European traditions, Americans began to dress up in costumes and go house to house asking for food or money, a practice that eventually became today’s “trick-or-treat” tradition. Young women believed that on Halloween they could divine the name or appearance of their future husband by doing tricks with yarn, appIe parings or mirrors.
By the 1920s and 1930s, Halloween had become a secular but community-centered holiday, with parades and town-wide Halloween parties as the featured entertainment. Despite the best efforts of many schools and communities, vandalism began to plague some celebrations in many communities during this time.
By the 1950s, town leaders had successfully limited vandalism and Halloween had evolved into a holiday directed mainly at the young. Due to the high numbers of young children during the fifties baby boom, parties moved from town civic centers into the classroom or home, where they could be more easily accommodated.
Today, Americans spend an estimated $6 billion annually on Halloween, making it the country’s second largest commercial holiday after Christmas.
Best Halloween Parties and Celebrations Around the World
New Orleans Vampire Ball, USA
The Endless Night: New Orleans Vampire Ball event is sure to
delight and frighten, if you needed another reason to add NOLA
to your list of places to visit. This ball, which is being hosted
by a top authority on vampire culture, isn't your typical
black-tie affair; it's more accurately defined as a masquerade
ball and dress-up party with a gothic twist. So, what is the
required attire? First of all, there is a stringent regulation
prohibiting superhero costumes, however ornate baroque costumes,
fangs, masks, and formal vampire attire are greatly encouraged.
Mexico/Latin America - Día de Muertos
Although very much not “Mexican Halloween,” Día de Muertos (Day
of the Dead)—which falls at the very beginning of November—is an
important annual holiday throughout Latin America. Traditionally,
families come together to honor those who have passed away but
make no mistake: this is no solemn affair. In Mexico City, Day of
the Dead festivities span an enormous parade—which includes
thousands of costumed participants; dancing Catrinas, or
ceremonial skeletons; and floats—to the installation of ofrendas
(celebratory altars) in the city’s Zócalo, or Central Square.
As a bonus, venture south to the Xochimilco district, where you
can embark on a special nighttime gondola ride along the area’s
UNESCO-listed canals.
Salem Witches’ Ball, USA
This list would obviously be incomplete without mentioning Salem, a city famous for its historical Witch Trials. The iconic Salem
Witches' Ball is how Halloween is truly celebrated in this small town. Witch Doctors will be leading rites and ceremonies, and there
will be a chamber set aside for psychic readings at the event on October 26.
Dracula’s Halloween Party, Romania
If partying in the shadow of Dracula inside an ancient castle
sits firmly at the top of your must-do list, this is one event
you can’t miss. On this 3-day tour with G Adventures, you can
party all night long on the grounds of Bran Castle, Romania,
and explore a castle shrouded in mystery and spooky myths.
Believe what you want about Dracula, but we guarantee this party
will be an unforgettable experience. As you explore the castle
before the party, just make sure you keep your eyes peeled in
case you bump into a spirit or two.
New York City Village Halloween Parade
The New York Halloween Parade, a famous New York City tradition
for almost 50 years, brings a carnival of weirdness and
spookiness to Downtown, with New Yorkers of all shades competing
informally to wear the greatest, boldest, and most inventive
costumes. The parade, which is led by a marching band, is free to
attend, but you may also find a position on the sidelines to
observe the costumed revelers walk down 6th Avenue. Around 8:30pm,
when the event starts to wind down, stay for the official
after-party at Webster Hall, also known as Webster Hell for one
night only, or sign up for a ghost walking tour to amp up the
spooks.
Derry Halloween, Northern Ireland
Derry, Northern Ireland Europe’s biggest Halloween festival, Derry Halloween, held within the walled Northern Irish city, melds
Halloween festivities with Samhain ritual. A series of themed installations and activities across the city reflect different pagan
themes each year, while a Haunted Harvest Market is worth browsing. But the festival’s unabashed highlight is the Street Carnival Parade,
a free-to-attend event which draws thousands of musicians, dancers, circus performers, and costumed spectators. The festivities
culminate in a glittering fireworks show above the River Foyle.
