Halloween - The fascinating festival of Celtic origin combines tradition with modernity
Just in time for October 31 of each year, it is time again: Halloween is coming up soon. The festival, which is also becoming increasingly popular in this country, invites you to scary, decorate and celebrate. The Americans show how it works. In no other place in the world is Halloween as popular as beyond the big pond. Originally, however, that is Festival of spirits and pumpkins a European invention. Why do you wear a costume for Halloween, and how is Halloween celebrated worldwide? The following portrait bundles the most important facts.
What is Halloween?
The annual happening is To traditional customs, who are brought into modern times in the Halloweenacht and keep old customs alive. For example, modern presence is entering into a liaison with past traditions and receives folk customs that may otherwise have long been forgotten.
Why do you celebrate Halloween, and who invented it?
Halloweens' existence goes until 500 BC. BC back. The foundation stone laid, the Samhain festival of the Celts. It was always celebrated on October 31 and marked New Year's Celtic Culture. Halloween is therefore of Irish origin And was traditionally celebrated by the Celts as a meeting of the dead with the lively. According to legend, it was the goal of the dead to live on, which made them taken by the souls of lively possessions.
Contradictory views of origin
However, there are also some sources that assign the festival of spirits to the Christian faith. Halloween should therefore "All Hallows' Evening" - the evening before the Christian Festival All Saints' Day. Since All Saints' Day takes place every November 1st, this source of origin is also considered plausible.
Why do you dress up on Halloween?
While only about 7 % of all adults in this country are planning to buy a costume on Halloween, the cauldron literally cooks in New York. In the American metropolis of millions, Halloween can be seen more than a costume. One Gigantic Halloween parade puts the costume fantasy of the Americans and now also the numerous tourists. The parade for this festival is the largest in the world. When choosing a costume, the entire design slave is represented from creepy to amusing. In addition to grim ghosts and witches with brooms and crooked nose, pumpkins with lovingly designed faces beyond the Sixth Avenue must also be seen.
That you are too Halloween Has a good reason in a costume. Even in the old Celts, the living people were interested in protecting their souls from the dead and not being recognized by them. Since it was not always easy to hide, became Without further ado to Halloween a costume designed. This not only offered protection, but also served to deter the dead and evil spirits. If they saw the costumes, they were then driven out of legend. With a particularly creepy Halloween costume, This sometimes works in a lively society with a wink.
Which costumes are particularly popular?
Basically, there are no limits to the imagination in the costumes. Sometimes are at Private and public Halloween parties, even fancy costumes represent.
The most popular costumes include:
- vampire
- Witch
- spook
- zombie
- Devil
- skeleton
- Reaper
- werewolf
Since the little ones are also on board at a Halloween party, numerous children's costumes are also inspired. Of Black cat to spider and bat to the good old pumpkin, The Halloween costume palette with its entire bandwidth is revealed. Of course, the current Hollywood heroes are always very popular.
Fashionable accessories to match the Halloween costume
The desire to throw yourself in a shell for a Halloween party knows hardly any limits in passionate "ghost hunters". Therefore, costumes Pimped with a dramatic make-up and design contact lenses. Many also dye their hair, carry unusual headdresses and dip limbs in artificial blood. If you like it less exciting, but still want to celebrate the evening before All Saints' Day, you can choose a Venetian mask.
How is Halloween celebrated?
Traditionally, Halloween is celebrated very passionately in many places in the world. While on October 31, all of New York around Times Square a single Halloween party seems to be, Halloween is celebrated in the Mexican Oaxaca at the same time - but with one day extension - as Dia de los Muertos.
Salem - "Witch City" in Massachusetts (USA)
She bears the name The Witch City and has become a pilgrimage in the United States around Halloween: The city of Salem in the US Massachusetts is known for its witch trials. These once took place in 1692. The Salem Haunted Happenings emerged from them - festive days, which already extend throughout October to the actual Halloween festival. Salem is located not far from Boston on the American east coast and is a place that has a special authentic Halloween flair with its witch museum.
Halloween in Germany - an event that is becoming increasingly popular
Public Halloween parties take place, especially in major German cities. But the Halloween party is also increasingly becoming popular in private households. The Typical pumpkin decoration à la Jack O'Lantern are not missing. Design Halloween decoration yourself is really easy, and the possibilities are very diverse. In our blog, we also have a tutorial Spider web decoration.
What is behind Jack O'Lantern?
Irish immigrants inaugurated the ball round pumpkin lantern in the United States. Jack O'Lantern After the legend was a farrier from Ireland, who met the devil as a drunken bold in a pub. After his death, after he was rejected at the sky gate - he hiked to the hell. Out of pity, the devil donated a coal for the hike through the ice-cold darkness. A beet that the farrier had previously hollowed out served. So that the glowing coal did not go out, Jack put it in the beet. The pumpkin lantern was born as we know it today, and who still bears the name Jack O'Lantern today.
Halloween's industry - a billion-dollar business
Many families carve creepy faces for the night of the nights together with their children in pumpkins and Tinker the Halloween decoration in an imaginative owner. But the trade is also enjoying increasing sales in the fifth season. In 2019, retail sales were only available in Germany with an increase of around 320 million euros. In addition to the classic Halloween costume, decorative items, make-up and accessories in particular climbed in the favour of the celebration-loving consumer. The DIY decoration ideas But are at least as popular with Halloween.
Halloween - not without sweet or acidic
During the Halloween night, it is now a popular tradition in Germany that the children move from house to house in their costumes. If you have nothing sweet at the start, you get acid and have to count on a prank of the little ones. "Trick or Treat" is a tradition that originally comes from poorer households in the USA and Great Britain. Collecting candies & Co. should offer children something special at least once a year.
You want to Celebrate Halloween based on a traditional role model? Choose a groovy Halloween costume, carve your personal Jack O'Lantern and prepare a candy bowl with sweet treats for small creepy spirits in front of your door!
