![]() ![]() Countries around the world today celebrate Halloween in one form or another, from Mexico's Day of the Dead to China's Tomb Sweeping Day. The observance evolved from ancient rituals marking the transition from summer to winter, thereby associating it with transformation, which is still a central theme of the holiday.Įvery recorded civilization has created some form of ritual observance focused on what happens to people when they die, where they go, and how the living should best honor those who have passed or respond to the dead who seem unwilling or unable to move on. It’s short for “Jack of lantern,” where “of” actually means “with.” The first use of the term for a carved pumpkin lantern occurred in the nineteenth-century United States, and it’s been used ever since by kids and adults alike.Halloween is among the oldest traditions in the world as it touches on an essential element of the human condition: the relationship between the living and the dead. Jack-o’-lantern was one of the names given to this phenomenon in southwestern England and East Anglia. ![]() These lights have entered the folklore of cultures around the world, from the Americas to Asia, and each culture gives a different explanation for the origin of these lights. But by the time it disappears completely you might find yourself knee-deep in dirty swamp water, and possibly in peril. These lights can resemble a lamp, and the closer you get to it the more it fades. Do you know what a will-o’-the-wisp is? In certain areas of the world, especially marshlands, bogs, or other wet areas where there’s a lot of decomposition going on, people sometimes see strange flickering lights. ![]() Jack-o’-lantern, originally, had nothing to do with a person named Jack, a lantern, or a carved pumpkin. ![]() You can’t have kids going around, knocking on doors, and saying “nice house you have there, it would be a shame if something happened to it.” When a kid says “trick-or-treat,” what she’s really saying is “give me candy (treat), or I’ll do some mischief (trick) on your property.” It’s extortion, albeit adorable extortion. The phrase “trick-or-treat” is a twentieth-century invention. It’s said that people dressed in costumes that represented the souls of the deceased and were given offerings. Trick-or-treating might have originated in the Celtic celebrations of Samhain. Do you know why kids say “trick-or-treat,” or how the jack-o’-lantern got its name? Since we’re already here talking about Halloween and words, let’s look at a few other Halloween expressions. The origins of trick-or-treating and jack-o’-lanterns We can thank the eighteenth-century Scots for the contraction Halloween. The een portion of Halloween is a contraction of even, a word you might know as “eve,” which means “end of the day.” This is why Halloween is sometimes referred to as “All Hallows’ Eve” or “All Saints’ Eve.” “All Hallows Eve” was used for the first time in the sixteenth century. When used as a verb, it meant “to sanctify.” When used as a noun, it meant “holy person” or “saint.” Hallow is an archaic word that evolved from the Old English word halgian. The word “Halloween” has roots in the Christian tradition. While some are eager to point out the pagan roots in the way Halloween is celebrated today, others are equally eager to defend it as a purely Christian holiday. Grammarly helps you communicate confidently Write with Grammarly Roots of the word “Halloween” ![]()
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