Halloween in 2022: the customs and traditions of the “terrible” holiday

There is no holiday like Halloween in the world. Everything was strangely mixed up in it: pagan customs, religious traditions and frightening superstitions. All Saints’ Eve is celebrated all over the world. And recently, in Russia on October 31, you can hear a knock on the door, and then a loud: “Sweetness or disgusting?” About the history of one of the oldest holidays, its traditions and customs – in the material REN TV.

History of Halloween

The history of the Halloween holiday began 2 thousand years ago, when the Celtic tribes lived in what is now England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Northern France. The Celts considered the period from November to April to be a cold and dark time, so the night from October 31 to November 1 marked the border between light and darkness. This tradition influenced the number of Halloween celebrations.

The Celts thought that on this night the dead and various evil spirits could come to the living. Therefore, they gathered at the sacred fire and brought gifts to their pagan gods, put on the skins of animals and masks to scare away the monsters. Hence the modern tradition of dressing up in costumes of evil spirits.

In the Middle Ages, All Saints’ Day was appointed on November 1, on this day all the saints who did not have their special days during the year were honored. It was no coincidence that the Church chose November 1 for this holiday, so she hoped to do away with pagan rituals and traditions that came from antiquity. This holiday was called All Saints’ Day or All Hallows’ Day.

But no matter how much the clergy would like the ancient traditions to sink into oblivion, they have been preserved. People in many countries continued to celebrate on October 31, the eve of All Saints’ Day. It became known as All Hallows Even and gradually dwindled to Halloween.

It was believed that on October 31, all the forces of evil – witches, sorcerers, goblins, demons and other evil spirits, led by the devil himself – gather together in order to arrange all sorts of outrages and somehow harm on the eve of the holiday.

In each country, there was a certain place where evil spirits gathered: the Ardennes forest in France, the Brocken mountain in Germany, the Blocksberg rock in Sweden. And in England, every ruined abbey, the ruins of an old church or monument, could serve as a gathering place for them.

Halloween Traditions

Modern traditions of the holiday began to take shape in Europe around the 16th century. On the eve of October 31, children and adults put on masks and went from house to house, demanding treats from the owners.

By the beginning of the 20th century, new Halloween traditions appeared – costumes depicting evil spirits, and a Jack-o’-lantern in the form of a pumpkin with a candle. Later, migrants from Europe made Halloween a cult in the United States, where it began to be celebrated on a grand scale, preparing for several weeks. For example, giant varieties of pumpkins are grown especially for the holiday, large-scale costume parties and dress competitions are planned.

Today, both in America and in Europe, the evening of October 31 for millions of children means one thing: trick or treat? Children and teenagers, dressed as witches, ghosts, vampires and other very or not very scary characters, go from house to house and receive various sweets from the owners, putting them in their bags.

At the same time, they ask the owner who opened the door: trick or treat? The established translation of this expression into Russian is “sweet or disgusting?” Sweetness is awarded immediately, and as for “nasty”, it can be a cruel (but not cruel) joke. Often, “muck” is associated with the performance of some not very pleasant tasks. If they do not like, the one who chose them can “pay off” with sweets.

The main symbols of Halloween

The main symbols of the most “terrible” holiday are Jack-o’-lanterns (painted pumpkins with a burning candle or lantern inside), a witch on a broomstick and frightening outfits. All of them originate in pagan traditions, but over time their true meaning was forgotten. However, people are still celebrating Halloween with pleasure, stocking up on pumpkins in advance and starting to prepare costumes.

History of Jack O’Lantern

On the night of October 31 to November 1, the Celts gathered at the sacred fire. Dispersing to their homes, they took with them part of the sacred fire to protect their homes from evil spirits. This is how the tradition of lighting a lantern on Halloween was born.

However, there is another version of this symbol. In Celtic folklore, there is a legend about the cunning merry fellow Jack, who twice fooled the devil using a cross for this. For this, after his death, he was ordered to enter both heaven and hell. Jack was doomed to wander in the darkness of purgatory, but to dispel the darkness, he made a pumpkin lantern by inserting an ember thrown to him by Satan from hell. According to this legend, Jack’s lamp lights the way for lost souls.

Witch on a broom as a symbol of Halloween

The silhouette of a witch flying on a broom against the background of the full moon is one of the main symbols of Halloween. Among the pagans, the old witch symbolized the change of seasons, and later this image was transformed into a witch. It has become popular to wear a witch costume on Halloween. But this tradition appeared not so long ago, since two or three centuries ago, for such an outfit, they could well have been sent to the fire.

Halloween costumes

The main theme of Halloween costumes is a variety of evil spirits and fairy-tale characters, but you can put on other outfits, as long as your imagination is enough. Costumes and make-up are usually inventive and can be made from any materials at hand. The image does not have to be scary – many on this day dress up as characters in their favorite films or cartoons.

vampire costume

This is one of the most popular Halloween looks and one of the easiest to make. Guys need to wear a white shirt and black pants, and girls need to put on a long black dress. The main thing is makeup: pale skin and brightly summed up eyes and lips. The image of a terrible vampire will be complemented by fangs, which can be bought at a carnival costume store, and red contact lenses.

mummy costume

This is one of the most spectacular Halloween images. You will need a lot of bandages, or gauze, or, in extreme cases, old sheets. The fabric must be cut into approximately equal strips. Then you need to “age” the material. The easiest way to do this is to dip the strips for a couple of hours in strong brewed tea, and then sew on any clothes that you don’t mind throwing away afterwards.

If you do not know how to sew, then you can choose another method – manual dressing. Tie a few cut strips together with a knot and wrap them around the entire figure crosswise. Usually, striped ribbons are also wrapped around the face, but if this is not a suitable option for you, you can’t do without makeup. It will be enough to whiten the face as much as possible and highlight the area around the eyes with dark shadows so that the look seems haggard.

Skeleton suit

Not a single Halloween is complete without the presence of a person in a skeleton costume, and this character more often causes a smile than horror. On sale you can find a jumpsuit with painted bones, which comes with a mask. Another option is to make a make-up with an imitation of a skull from white and black paint. Instead of a whole suit, you can use only the top, for example, put on an unusual jacket with a “bone” print and match it with a top hat with gloves and a cane.

witch costume

This is the most favorite image among girls on Halloween. Here, the flight of fantasy is not limited: you can look like a terrible witch – an old woman, or you can look like a seductive witch. Most often, girls, for obvious reasons, prefer the second option. The dress can be long or short, black or red. Additional details: a pointed hat, a broom, bright makeup and an abundance of jewelry.

How to carve a pumpkin for Halloween

Now carving a pumpkin with a frightening physiognomy has become an art. In many countries of the world, even entire tournaments and competitions are held.

To make a jack o’ lantern, you need to take a beautiful pumpkin without damage. The bottom of it should be flat – for the stability of the structure.

Cut off the top of the pumpkin. In order not to be mistaken, you can draw a circle on top, along which you can cut. Do not throw away the top, you will need it.

Remove pulp and seeds. For this, it is best to use a spoon with pointed edges. If there is none, carefully cut the flesh on all sides, and then scrape out with a tablespoon. Do not overdo it, the thin walls of the pumpkin are not needed throughout the area. Choose the side where you will cut Jack’s face. From this side, scrape the pulp properly: the thinner the surface of the pumpkin, the easier it is to cut it later.

With an ordinary marker (or felt-tip pen), draw triangular eyes and a nose, a mouth and a few teeth on the pumpkin. Show your imagination – Jack’s face can smile, or it can smirk or even stretch into an ominous grin.

To cut holes, you need a thin sharp knife. Drive it into the surface of the pumpkin at a right angle, it will be easier. Carefully cut along the lines you drew. Be very careful and careful when working with a sharp knife!

So that the pumpkin does not fade ahead of time, grease the edges of all cuts (including at the top) with petroleum jelly. Poke through holes in the lid so that the heat from the candle escapes through them. And if Jack’s insides are rubbed with cinnamon or cloves, then the pumpkin will not only shine, but also smell sweet.

Place one or more candles inside and light. Or, for greater safety, use an electric candle. Place the top you cut off on top. The jack-o’-lantern is ready!

How Halloween is celebrated in Russia

Halloween came to us in the 1990s and has not yet acquired traditions similar to those that exist in Europe or America, where Halloween has been celebrated for centuries.

Nevertheless, Russians treat Halloween simply as an occasion to have fun, wear unusual costumes and spend time with friends. Like many holidays in other countries that came to Russia, Halloween has lost its original meaning, lost some of its traditional rituals and acquired new ones.

Today, Halloween-parties are held in many clubs on the night of November 1st. The presence of a costume and a pumpkin lantern at such events is welcome.

Those who have no desire to go to the club organize house parties. Here you can let go of your imagination and have a lot of fun decorating your home, inventing holiday makeup and inventing themed treats.