Did you know that the celebration of Halloween has ancient roots that tie it to both farming and astronomy? Halloween marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, the “darker half” of the year. Let’s explore the origins of Halloween and our Halloween celebrations.
When Is Halloween?
Halloween, traditionally called “All Hallows’ Eve,” is celebrated on the evening before the Christian holy day of All Hallows’ Day or All Saints’ Day (November 1). Therefore, Halloween is always celebrated on October 31.
| Year | Halloween Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Saturday, October 31 |
| 2027 | Sunday, October 31 |
| 2028 | Tuesday, October 31 |
| 2029 | Wednesday, October 31 |
In England, holy people, saints, and others who were deeply revered were often referred to as “hallowed,” hence the name “All Hallows’ Day.” The evening—or “e’en”—before the feast became popularly known as “All Hallows’ Eve,” or, even shorter, “Hallowe’en.”
A Brief History of Halloween
The Origins of Halloween
The origin of Halloween can be traced to an ancient festival called Samhain (pronounced sow-in, which rhymes with cow-in), meaning Summer’s End. This was a sacred festival celebrated by the ancient Celts and Druids in the British Isles. It marked the end of the harvest and the start of a new year!
The ancient Celts believed that the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead was at its thinnest during Samhain. This had positive benefits, as it was an ideal time to consider the dead, communicate with the deceased, and also to divine the future. Learn more about this ancient calendar’s ”Quarter Days and Cross-Quarter Days” and why we celebrate holidays the way we do!
Since Samhain was the “death night” of the old year, it came to be associated with ghosts and graveyards. After midnight, the ghosts are said to go back to rest. (That day, November 1, later became All Saints’ Day.)
All Saints’ Day
Following the Roman Empire’s rule over Celt-occupied lands in the 1st century A.D., the Romans merged many of the Celtic traditions, including Samhain, with their own. Eight hundred years later, the Roman Catholic Church further modified Samhain, designating November 1 as All Saints’ Day to honor all saints from Christian history.
This day was formerly known as All Hallows’ Day or Allhallowmas. The evening before, October 31, is known as All Hallows’ Eve—or more commonly, Halloween!
If All Saints brings out winter,
St. Martin brings out Indian summer.
How We Celebrate Halloween
Many of the customs and practices of Halloween are innocent fun, though some deal with reminders of death and concepts of good and evil.
Halloween was once known as “Nutcrack Night” in England—a time when the family gathered around the hearth to enjoy cider, nuts, and apples.
The Irish used hollowed-out, candlelit turnips carved with a demon’s face to frighten away spirits. The name “Jack-o’-Lantern” comes from an Irish folktale about a man named Stingy Jack who invited the Devil to have a drink with him but wouldn’t pay. Jack tricked the devil and made a deal by which the devil couldn’t claim his soul, but God didn’t want Jack in heaven, either. Now, Jack’s stuck roaming the Earth as an evil spirit with his lantern shining the way.
The Irish would carve scary faces into turnips or potatoes and place them near doors or windows on Halloween Eve to frighten away Stingy Jack and evil spirits. When Irish immigrants in the 1840s found few turnips in the United States, they used the more plentiful pumpkins instead. See more about the origins of popular Halloween traditions—from witches on broomsticks to bobbing apples.
Here are simple ways that you can celebrate Halloween.
1. Carve Pumpkins
Carving pumpkins is North America’s most popular Halloween custom. Every year, children enjoy scooping out the insides of the pumpkin with a spoon and carving their pumpkin with a little help from parents. See how to keep your carved pumpkin from rotting and make it last longer!
2. Roast Pumpkin Seeds
If you do carve your pumpkin, save the pumpkin seeds when you scoop out the insides. See our recipe for Roasted Pumpkin Seeds. Be careful; these salty and crispy snacks go fast!
If you don’t like to eat seeds, you can also save those pumpkin seeds to make a colorful pumpkin seed necklace.
3. Wear Halloween Costumes
Everyone loves a chance to dress up in Halloween costumes. Traditional costumes are spooky or Halloween-related, such as witches, zombies, ghosts, and vampires. But in the United States, the costumes get silly, too, from giant bananas to superhero characters to whatever your imagination conjures!
You certainly do not need to buy a costume; the tradition was to make your costume from home. Toilet paper is all you need to become a mummy. An old white sheet can become a ghost. Add some face paint to create a vampire. See ideas for Halloween Makeup and Fake Blood From the Pantry.
4. More Halloween Activities
There are many fun Halloween activities and crafts. Here are some of our favorites from years past:
- Apple bobbing. Traditionally, we all bobbed our heads in a giant metal tub of water in an attempt to grab an apple with only our teeth. Today, many parents find this unhealthy. But here is a fun alternative: Give each person a bucket of water with an apple and challenge them to take a bite. Make it a race and give the winner a prize.
- Cornhusk dolls were made by Native American children long ago, and they are a fun activity today. See how to make a Traditional Corn Husk Doll.
- Ever made shrunken apple heads?All you need are apples! See how to make Spooky Apple Heads.
Discover our best Halloween crafts here!
5. Cook Up Yummy Treats
Of course, you’ve all heard the saying, “Trick or Treat?” The “treats” are much preferred to the “tricks.” Here are some classic favorites from before the days of packaged candy:
Discover our best Halloween recipes here!
Happy Halloween, everyone!
What’s your favorite Halloween tradition? Let us know in the comments!
Frequently Asked Questions
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When is Halloween in 2026?
Halloween is celebrated on Saturday, October 31, 2026. The holiday always falls on October 31, regardless of the day of the week.
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Why is Halloween celebrated on October 31?
Halloween is celebrated on October 31 because it is the evening before All Saints’ Day, traditionally called All Hallows’ Day. The night before became known as All Hallows’ Eve and, eventually, Halloween.
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What does the word “Halloween” mean?
The name “Halloween” is a shortened form of “All Hallows’ Eve.” “Hallow” is an old word for a holy person or saint, while “eve” means the evening before a special day.
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What was Samhain?
Samhain was an ancient Celtic seasonal festival marking the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter. Some customs and folklore associated with Samhain later became connected with Halloween traditions.
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Is Halloween connected to All Saints’ Day?
Yes. Halloween, or All Hallows’ Eve, takes place the night before All Saints’ Day on November 1. All Saints’ Day is a Christian observance honoring saints and holy people.
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Why do people carve jack-o’-lanterns?
The tradition developed from an Irish custom of carving frightening faces into turnips and placing lights inside them. In North America, pumpkins became the preferred choice because they were larger and more plentiful.
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Why do people wear costumes on Halloween?
Halloween costumes developed from traditions involving disguises, masks, spirits, and seasonal celebrations. Today, people dress as everything from ghosts and witches to animals, superheroes, and popular characters.
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How did trick-or-treating begin?
Modern trick-or-treating developed from several older customs, including going door to door in costume, performing for food, and offering prayers in exchange for treats. The familiar American tradition became widespread during the 20th century.
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Is Halloween always on the last day of October?
Yes. Halloween is always celebrated on October 31, the final day of October and the evening before All Saints’ Day.
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