1. History of Halloween

2. What is a holiday? • A day that commemorates some event or honors some person • New Years Day • MLK Day • Easter • Mothers’ Day • Fathers’ Day • Memorial Day • Independence Day • Veterans' Day • Christmas Day

3. What does Halloween celebrate? • What do we think of when we think about Halloween?

4. Ancient Origins: Celtic Festival of Samhain • End of Harvest and start of Winter • October 31st • Boundary between worlds of living and dead blurred • Ghosts and spirits of the dead returned to Earth • Prophecies • Large sacred bonfires • Costumes

5. Ancient Origins: Roman Empire • Two festivals combined with Samhain • Feralia • Day to honor Pomona • All Martyrs Day • All Saints and Martyrs • All Souls Day • All Saints Day=All Hallows • All Hallows Eve  Halloween

6. Halloween Comes to America • Colonial America • Different ethnic groups customs meshed • “Play parties” • Dress up and go house to house for food and money • Late 1880’s: community and neighbors • Early 1900’s: parties • Loss of superstitions and religious overtones • 1950’s: young people and trick or treating

7. Halloween Today: Traditions • Trick-or-treating • Dressing up in costumes • Ghosts • Bobbing for apples • Bonfires • Orange and Black • Carving jack-o-lanterns

8. Halloween Today: Superstitions • Black cats • Broken mirrors • Ladders • Knocking on wood