Halloween was traditionally celebrated by the Celtic people and known as Samhain. The holiday was celebrated on the 31st of October when it was believed that the void between the world of the living and of the dead was as it’s thinnest and most accessible. Samhain was also the end of the fall harvest which would influence some customs in now modern day time such as Halloween costumes, pumpkin carving, and trick or treating.
The Celtic people didn’t want the ghouls to ravage their crops and cause mayhem so in order to prevent it; they typically dressed as goblins themselves in order to keep the spirits at ease by “camouflaging” themselves with the deadly souls. This custom still carries through today on the much loved holiday of Halloween, also known as “All Hallows Eve.”
There’s another Halloween tradition that doesn’t take place on the actual holiday, but the night before. Mischief night, also known as goosey night, takes place on Oct. 30 and is a day where people usually play harmless pranks on people throughout the night. Commonly the pranksters will throw toilet paper random houses or throw eggs at them. The term goosey night is most commonly used in the United Kingdom and the United States because of the egg throwing. Though highly recognized by many, it is a night that is frowned upon due to vandalism being highly taboo.
While the holiday of Halloween reached the United States in 1845, it was several decades before it gained popularity. In 1905, the United States began to commercialize the concept of Halloween and in 1915 the origins of Trick-or-Treating began. In 1930, stores started to sell costumes for people of all ages due to increase in popularity. During World War II, the number of children Trick-or-Treating declined because of food rationing, but once supplies such as sugar came back into stock, children jumped right back into the fun holiday. Ever since then, Halloween has been rising in popularity around the globe because of the treats being back in stock.
This holiday is celebrated in every country whether it’s as popular or not. In Mexico they celebrate Day of the Dead and Halloween. Middle Eastern countries try to suppress the celebrations that have a conflict with their religions. European countries are starting to recognize Halloween more and more each year along with South American countries where at one point it was highly taboo to take part in it. Though Halloween was traditionally a religious holiday, other creeds have started to accept the holiday and make it there own.
On that note, as we all know we haven’t celebrated Halloween on its national and traditional date for the past two years. In 2011 we had a severe snow storm with approximately 19 inches of snow. Governor Christie announced that the Halloween festivities would indeed be cancelled based on the deemed severity of the roads and sidewalk conditions. On the 31st of October, disappointment filled many children’s hearts and the streets were silent that evening. Some of us West Milford residents had no power and saw it fit to “postpone” the holiday.
In 2012 how can we not remember the tragedy that was hurricane Sandy? Sandy pummeled the North East coast with a fierce wrath. The hurricane mainly devastated the New Jersey and New York area. With an approximate ten inches of rainfall and winds ranging up to 86 mph, Sandy destroyed many homes and wrecked much of the natural wildlife. West Milford residents were without power for up to two weeks. The once picturesque forests were demolished and knocked down; some trees even fell onto houses. From the obvious damage done the state governor announced yet again that Halloween would be postponed.
With the much anticipated holiday right around the corner, the much asked question remains; will we have Halloween this year?
