Hi there! My name is Harley Smith, writer of the monthly Kidz Korner column in this incredible newspaper you’re reading. Halloween is rapidly approaching, with less than a month before being jump-scared by the neighbors’ decorations, loading up on candy, and children screeching. However, it can be entertaining to dress up and act foolish on the last day of this month.
So, why do people hang spiderwebs in their yards for unsuspecting passersby? Why do we sweat like dogs in costumes, anyway?
Halloween dates back approximately two thousand years. The Celts, who lived in Europe, celebrated the New Year on November 1st, the day after our traditional Halloween. They believed that the night before the New Year, the boundary separating the living and the dead began to blur. That night was October 31st, the final day of the year.
The English word “Halloween” comes from “All Hallows’ Eve,” the evening before All Hallows’ Day, which was November 1st, and All Souls’ Day the day afterward. The name originated in the 9th century when people called October 31st “All Hallows’ Eve.” Then, a form of trick-or-treating began in the Middle Ages. During the next few centuries, traditions commenced, and people carried around jack-o-lanterns, which, back then, were hollowed-out turnips. They were named for night watchmen, who were called “jack-o-lanterns.” Nowadays, they are usually fashioned from pumpkins.
Later, during significant times of immigration to the New World, some people recognized the holiday, and others opposed it. Almanacs of colonial and pioneering times indicate that Halloween was not widely celebrated. However, Halloween became popular when Irish and Scottish pilgrims came to North America. Furthermore, American influence spread the holiday around the world.
There is controversy about whether Christians should celebrate Halloween. It has its pros and cons. Dressing in innocuous costumes isn’t evil, but Halloween has non-Christian portions. We should seek the Lord’s will in everything we do and enjoy the life He has given us.
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31
For further research, visit gotquestions.org.
Thank you for reading! Come back next month to read about an event I planned for American Heritage Girls!
Harley Isabel Smith is a homeschooled 6th grader who has been featured on TV as a philanthropist, has a heart for evangelism, and writes monthly for the Gazette’s Kidz Korner. Visit https://harleyisabelsmith.com where she is constantly adding written and video content to entertain and educate children. Matthew 19:14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”