On Oct. 31st a holiday known as Halloween is celebrated. From dressing up as monsters and getting sweets, to seeing frightening movies, this holiday is indeed a fun event for people of all ages but where it started is not really known by many. The origins of Halloween didn't start in America and the name 'Halloween' was not what it was called back in the old times.

According to History.com the origin of Halloween began with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, meaning that the harvest season is over and the beginning on winter. In the Celtic eyes It was a time when the veil between death and life was supposed to be at its thinnest and evil spirits would roam about. The people would light up bonfires and wear costumes to scare off ghosts and undead and that was the start of people dressing up as monsters on Halloween. Hallow Eve was actually the official name during the early days but overtime it changed the name to Halloween. The holiday managed to arrive in America with the wave of Irish immigrants during the potato famine of 1845. Once the Irish settled they brought some of the customs like bobbing for apples or playing tricks.

"Trick-or-Treat" has always been the main catch phrase of Halloween. Kids would go around other houses ring the door bell and announce the famous saying expecting sweets in return. In the old times it was not always the case, in an article from Today I Found Out, trick or treating began in the Middle-Ages. The children would dress up in costumes and go around door to door during Halloween or in their time Hallow Eve begging for food or money in exchange for songs and prayers often said on behalf of the dead. This was called “souling” and the children were called “soulers." In return they were often given a common food called Soul cakes a generally sweet cake with ingredients such as nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, and raisins.

Around the 1930s Trick or Treat made its way to America. Children's tricks started to become much more of vandalism rather than just a prank. The children would go door to door demanding for sweets and when they responded the kids were off away rejoicing, if not then they would cause trouble like throw eggs and/or throw toilet paper around the house. Every Halloween year the residences would continue getting sweets and the kids would stop playing tricks so long as they get the treats. Hence the phrase "Trick-or-Treat" was formed as the times went on.

Halloween beginnings are quite unusual and unexpected but thankfully it has changed to something wonderful for everyone to enjoy and have a good time. This holiday has grown so much that people may forget how it really came about, so it is important to remember the past of how it started and be thankful.