1. What Does the Word "Halloween" Mean?
The word "Halloween" is a shortened version of "All Hallows' Eve." In old English, "hallow" means a holy person or saint, and "eve" means the night before. Over time, "eve" was shortened to "e'en," creating "Hallowe'en." This translates to "the night before All Saints' Day." [1] [2]
The "All Saints' Day" referred to here is November 1. In the Catholic Church, this is called the Feast of All Saints (known in Japanese as Banseisetsu). The following day, November 2, is the Day of the Dead, a time to think of those who have passed away. [3]
So, looking at the church calendar, Halloween is simply the night before the holiday of November 1. In terms of its name, saints come before ghosts. But why was this specific holiday set for November 1?
2. Why Is All Saints' Day on November 1?
The day to honor all saints together was not always on November 1. Around 609 AD in Rome, Pope Boniface IV dedicated the Pantheon temple as a church and set May 13 as the memorial day for saints. This date of May 13 is also recorded in Edessa, a city in Syria during the 4th century. [1]
However, by around 800 AD, churches in Ireland and northern England were already celebrating the feast of all saints on November 1. The Catholic Encyclopedia (published in 1907) states that Pope Gregory III (in the 8th century) established this date, and later Pope Gregory IV spread it to the entire church. [2] The exact timing and process of how November 1 spread through Western churches vary depending on the historical source.
If the holiday is set for November 1, then the night before it is October 31. Therefore, the date of Halloween comes directly from this church calendar. So, what was the reason for moving the celebration from May to November?
3. How Is Halloween Connected to the Celtic Festival Samhain?
In Ireland, a festival marking the start of winter called "Samhain" appears in medieval stories. In early tales, it is described as a time when kings gathered people for assemblies. [4]
It is widely said that "Ancient Celts celebrated their New Year from October 31 to November 1 and honored the dead, which became the origin of Halloween." However, historian Ronald Hutton concluded in a 1996 book that medieval records do not show that November 1 was a major festival for all Celts. [4] A paper from 2024 examines how this explanation became the standard view from the 20th to early 21st centuries. [5]
Some explanations say the church absorbed the Samhain festival, while others argue that Halloween was a Christian vigil (night of prayer) from the very beginning. There are differing views among researchers on this point. [1]
On the other hand, the National Museum of Ireland introduces Halloween as the night before Samhain, a traditional turning point in the Irish calendar. [6] Currently, explanations from museums dealing with local folklore and the cautious views of historians exist side by side.
4. How Did Halloween Change from a Night of Prayer to a Children's Event?
November 1 and 2 were days for praying for saints and the dead. On the night before, October 31, there was a custom in Ireland and Scotland to dress up and go from house to house. In Scotland, this is called "guising," and records of it exist from the 16th century. [1] [9]
In the 19th century, many people moved from Ireland and Scotland to North America, bringing this custom with them. By the early 20th century, Halloween was being celebrated in wide areas of the United States and Canada. [1] The oldest example of the phrase "trick or treat" found in print is from a Canadian newspaper in 1917, and it began appearing in records in the United States from the 1930s. [1]
As it spread across North America, local customs overlapped. It gradually settled as an event for children to enjoy costumes and sweets. The contents of lanterns and costumes are handled in detail in a separate article.
5. When Did Halloween Come to Japan?
Japan did not originally have customs that corresponded to Halloween. Retail stores and events were involved in its spread. [7]
The store "Kiddy Land" in Harajuku, Tokyo, began selling Halloween goods in October during the 1970s. In 1983, they announced they held a parade where people gathered in costumes. The participants were about 100 people, and it is said that many of them were foreigners. [7]
On October 31, 1997, Tokyo Disneyland held a one-day Halloween event. In 2000, this became a month-long event, and from 2002, parades also began, according to reports. [8]
In Japan, Halloween has almost none of the meaning of "the night before All Saints' Day." It entered the country as an event to enjoy costumes. Details about how it spread in Japan are in another article.
6. How Can You Check Halloween's History Yourself?
Try looking at foreign calendars or books about world holidays in libraries. Find countries where November 1 is written as "All Saints' Day." In countries where it is a public holiday, you can investigate what happens on the night of October 31 to see the differences.
If you want to read more, search for books on Halloween or Celtic culture in the library. Compare whether they state that "Samhain is the origin" and look at the evidence they provide. [4]