Boo! The leaves are falling, and the season is starting to get spooky. Halloween is right around the corner, and people are beginning to embrace the spine-chilling spirit of the season by celebrating past traditions that keep the season alive.
The origins of Halloween derive from the Celtic Samhain festivals held around 2,000 years ago in Ireland. During the festivals, people would dress in costumes to disguise themselves to ward off ghosts. The name “Halloween” comes from what the holiday was called in the eighth century: “All Hallows Eve,” the evening before “All Saints Day,” a Christian holiday.
Carving pumpkins also originates from Celtic Ireland. However, this well-known Halloween activity had a little twist to it, as the Celtic people would carve turnips to ward off evil spirits. This is said to be based on the legend of a man named Stingy Jack, a person who, after he died, was given a hollowed-out turnip that contained a burning coal, as neither heaven nor hell would accept him.
The origin of the tradition of “trick-or-treating” is somewhat unknown, but there are multiple theories about its origin. One theory is that people would leave food out for traveling spirits, but over time, leaving out food turned into leaving out candy. Today, the traditions of Halloween are still celebrated, but have transformed over time into a more tame version of dressing up in costumes and kids trick-or-treating.
There are many different activities that are a part of celebrating Halloween, such as parties, carving pumpkins and decorating for the spooky season. Stephanie Strong, an English and Mythology teacher at Fauquier High School (FHS), commented on what she likes about Halloween: “Usually I will decorate my front porch and sit out there with a bucket of candy and have all the little kids come up [to trick-or-treat].”
A staple of Halloween in Fauquier County is “Haunted Hollows.” The haunted farm is located at 8275 Maple Tree Ln, Warrenton, VA 20188, and opens annually for Halloween. “Haunted Hollow” is a haunted house-like attraction, but instead of being only a house, it’s an entire haunted farm. The abandoned farm was notorious for mysterious accidents and livestock avoiding certain areas. The farm was suspected to be haunted due to the many bodies buried in the area during the American Civil War. The attraction takes guests on a haunted trail filled with various scary elements, spooking anyone who dares enter.
The traditions of Halloween have kept the spirit of the holiday alive for hundreds of years, with people still celebrating it today. Every year, Halloween is celebrated in many different ways. The season of terror and candy is almost here, with the many scary things that follow.
