History Channel -- The ''Real'' Story of Halloween

wegs said:
Halloween has Christian 'roots?'
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Duh?

The full name is "All Hallows' Eve." It's the eve of All Hallows' Day, or "All Saints' Day" as it's better known in America.

Like many "Christian" holidays it has roots in pre-Christian traditions and was appropriated so that people could still have their celebration while at the same time being good Christians. Harvest festivals were common: Halloween is based on one, and Thanksgiving on another.

Christmas, or "Yule" as we still often call it, was the Winter Festival in many European countries, and Jul is simply its Old Norse name. (Is there anyone left who doesn't know that Biblical chronology clearly places Jesus's birth in spring, rather than in winter when the tax collectors were sitting in their nice warm houses drinking hot toddies?)

And Easter is the spring planting festival. New life: a savior reborn from death, and/or millions of cute little baby bunnies.

A few years ago a poll reported that the two most widely recognized figures of Christianity in America are Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny.

I love this place. :)
 
I'm aware of All Saints Day and that connection if you will, to Halloween. But, what I should have mentioned is that many Christians steer clear of anything having to do with "celebrating" Halloween, as many denominations view it as a "celebration" of dark spirits and such. So, I found it an interesting contradiction considering the origins of the very day of Halloween, stem from Christian traditions.

I should have elaborated. :)
 
wegs said:
I'm aware of All Saints Day and that connection if you will, to Halloween. But, what I should have mentioned is that many Christians steer clear of anything having to do with "celebrating" Halloween, as many denominations view it as a "celebration" of dark spirits and such. So, I found it an interesting contradiction considering the origins of the very day of Halloween, stem from Christian traditions.
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Originally, in the British Isles, All Hallows Even or E'en (the Scottish rendition) was an evening when a family welcomed the souls of their dead, setting a place for them at the table. However, the spirits were a little unpredictable and could cause mischief or actual harm, so bonfires and other measures were taken to keep them civil. Many of the modern, whimsical Halloween traditions stem from these once-devout practices.

I'd say the dividing line lies between the returning dead being beloved family members, and becoming evil spirits come to wreak havoc.
 
They would try to appease the spirits on All Hallows' Eve so that All Hallows' Day would go well.


"Is there anyone left who doesn't know that Biblical chronology clearly places Jesus's birth in spring, rather than in winter when the tax collectors were sitting in their nice warm houses drinking hot toddies?"

Um. Most christians.
 
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