It’s ancient, at least 2000 years old, that time of superstition and costumes. But Pope Gregory III decided in the 8th century that a pagan holiday would fare better as a Holy Day of Obligation, so Nov. 1 became All Saints Day to honor martyrs. That made Oct. 31 Hallowed Eve.
Then around 1000 A.D., Nov. 2 became All Soul’s Day to venerate the dead, making for a three-day bash.
And now, all these years later, we have these mismatched days looking right at us this weekend. Plus, while we’re asleep early Sunday morning the government is going to change what time it is. Hang on tight.
Old-time Celts were mostly from Ireland and celebrated their New Year on Nov. 1. It was the end of warm weather and the beginning of cold, wet weather when people took sick and died. So Halloween was really New Year’s Eve, and in keeping with things old and Druid, the veil between the worlds became misty enough to make you rub your eyes.
Ghosts returning to Earth for one day and night was not creepy, it was respected and sacred. Those who had died a good bit ago returned for a visit, and those who just died in the last year started their trip to otherworld. People wore masks so ghosts wouldn’t recognize and take them away, but lit candles to prove they cared.
Now, the Druids, who were priests of a sort, believed that spirits caused trouble. The solution to trouble, just as today, was to ignore it. Druids built huge bonfires, dressed in costume, bobbed for apples and attempted to predict the future.
Then the Romans showed up and conquered the Celtic land and instilled their own holy impression of commemorating the dead.
After that, Columbus stole the new world and gave it to white immigrants who brought their versions of these old legends to America, primarily to the South since the northern Puritans just went tsk-tsk. In the South, the religious part was axed in favor of pulling pranks.
There was a time in Eureka Springs, about 40 years ago, when teenagers were not allowed to buy eggs at Harts on Halloween, cuz you know, egging goes along with skeletons riding shotgun and ginormous spiders and chocolate-covered soap.
Halloween is a day acknowledged, if not celebrated, by people of every stripe. A person’s religion, political bent, skin tone, age, gender identity, ability, intelligence, or preferred SEC team doesn’t matter. It’s good, clean lunacy.
Like football.