Halloween, the Dark History More Than Ghosts or Goblins and Black Cats

Halloween is the night people dress up in costumes and partake of different activities that have a dark history attached to them. Most of them are based on pagan and ancient traditions from a time when people saw the world differently.

For many years Halloween is the night when ghosts, goblins, and elements of the nether realms visit the living till the sun comes up. Halloween has changed over the years but it is still connected to a past that will be investigated, reported Business Insider.

Halloween was first used in a Poem by Scottish poet Robert Burns.

He was the first to use the term "Halloween" in a poem he wrote in 1875, the same title take note. The term has two words, hallow, and een which are two words joined together. Hallow means saints that refer to All Saint's Day, which is November 1. Een is a shortening of the eve of the night before Nov 1. Halloween is an old term for the night before All Saints Day.

All Hallows' Eve dates back to pre-Christian and pagan rituals.

All Hallows' Eve is based on Samhain, a festival rooted in Celtic origins at the summer's end in Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. On this night the Celt belief the dead can return and interact with the living. There would be offering of food for dead souls on this night. All hallow tide included All Saints' Eve, All Saints' Day, All Souls' Day celebrated in Spring by early Christianity.

Bobbing for Apples was an ancient rite of divination.

In Celtic myth, there are references to apples, and next to pumpkins they are just as important. Another is that apples have a connection to the afterlife as well. According to NPR, this was a practice of foretelling who would be the future husband of any lady. All ladies do is to see who gets their apple. Halloween is not complete with apple bobbing and its dark history.

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A deal with the Devil is what a fun Jack-o-Lanterns (grimmer?) are about.

One night, a drunkard called Jack had the Devil go up a tree but he cut a cross symbol so that the dark lord could not climb down. But he allowed the devil to go down if he will not claim his soul. These carved pumpkins are a reminder never to cross Satan. When he died, Satan accepted the deal and threw a burning lump of coal. He places it in a turnip and wanders the after-life.

Trick or Treating is more than the candy, it's connected to the after-life.

This tradition has several origins like Ancient Celts donning the appearance of evil spirits to fool demons, cited the Smithsonian.

Medieval England had soulers who would ask the rich for soul cakes, or they'll trick. If given a cake, soulers pray for people's souls. But for the most part, in Europe in the dark ages, it was accepted wearing costumes in festivals.

The Bloody Mary has unclear origins.

According to late folklorist and UC Berkeley professor Alan Dundes, the ritual is part of growing up into teen years for everyone. Other origins say the Bloody Mary Ritual is also called "Mary Worth" and "Mary Whales." Young girls would be looking into a bathroom mirror and chant until they see her in the mirror.

Black cats have been equated to the supernatural.

Last are black cats that are said to be a witch's common familiar and even become them. So, there Halloween and its dark history which is interesting from pagan to Christian adoption.