People across the world dress up as monsters, princesses or their favorite movie star for the holiday called "Halloween" -- a modernized version of "All Hallows Eve," on the eve of All Saints Day (November 1).
The observance as we know it began in 5th century Celtic Ireland, where summer officially ended on October 31. The Celts are said to have believed that the laws of space and time were suspended during this day, allowing spirits of the dead to intermingle with the living. Some disembodied spirits would even try to possess living bodies.
On Halloween, the Celts would extinguish the fires in their homes, dress up in a ghoulish garb, and parade around the village in order to make themselves and their homes look as undesirable as possible in order to keep to the disembodied spirits away.
Halloween in Scotland
Trick or treating originated in Ireland. Many Irish houses are decorated for the holiday with Halloween lights. Festivities include children in parading in disguises while carrying lanterns cut into large rutabagas. They are rewarded with sweets by their neighbors.
Haunting Halloween Ladybugs
In some parts of the American Midwest, autumn is the season for "Halloween beetles"—aka multicolored Asian lady beetles, which are typically pumpkin-orange with black spots—to swarm and invade homes. Find out why these home hauntings occur and how to stop them in Home Grown.
Samhain
An ancient Celtic holiday celebrating the dark season -- “Samhain” -- was one of the inspirations for the holiday now known as Halloween. Samhain was celebrated three days before and three days after November 1.
All Soul’s March
In the crisp chill of October night costumed children toddle down darkened lanes, their tittering voices fending off silence.
They come dressed as ghouls and monsters, aliens of outer space and starship captains from the 25th century. Masked as heroes and demons, wild animals and crazed villains, our youth knocks upon the doors of strangers demanding treats.
In Ireland, once upon a time, it was the adults who dressed up as imps and fairies on All Hallow's Eve, painting their faces and shrouding their bodies.
~ continued in Out of the Past
