The Cultural Impact And History Of Halloween

All Hallow’s Eve, also called Halloween, is a global celebration that occurs on October 31st. This holiday has roots in Celtic traditions, but how different cultures celebrate Halloween and its cultural impact have changed over the years. For example, part of Halloween’s current cultural impact is the high level of commercialism surrounding the day. Learning to balance the fun of this celebration with the intense commercialism can make the holiday more enjoyable.

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The origins and evolution of Halloween night

Halloween evolved from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. This festival was held on November 1st, as it was believed that, on this day, the world of the gods would be visible to humans, and the gods would play tricks on society. This festival was underlined with fear, danger, and the supernatural. Sacrifices were believed to be vital as the Celts believed they would not triumph over the dangers presented by the gods without them. Traditionally, during Samhain, people would light a bonfire, indulge in sweets, set places at the dinner table for spirits, and dress in costumes to ward off these spirits. 

The history of Halloween

All Saints' Day, originally celebrated in May, has been celebrated on November 1st across the Catholic Church since 837, when Pope Gregory IV ordered that the official day of observance be changed. In 988, the first All Souls Day, a day to pray for souls in purgatory, was celebrated on November 2. 

These days may have been established to prevent converts to Christianity from celebrating non-Christian festivals like Samhain. In time, All Saints Day became All Hallows Day, with October 31 becoming known as All Hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween. Despite the church's efforts, people continued to participate in the traditions of Samhain, including bonfires, treats, costumes, and the focus on spirits. 

Is Halloween connected to Dia de los Muertos, Day of the Dead?

Many people think that Halloween is related to Dia de los Muertos, but this holiday is a separate celebration with different origins and traditions that happens to take place during the same period. While Halloween focuses on the darker side of death, Dia de los Muertos celebrates the connection between the living and the dead.

How Halloween is celebrated: The roots of trick-or-treating, costumes, and more

How Halloween night is celebrated has changed over the years. For example, carving pumpkins into jack-o’lanterns is an American tradition. Before European settlers brought Halloween to the New World, people carved turnips and put candles in them to ward off evil spirits. Below are other Halloween traditions and how they have changed.

Costumes

Halloween costumes directly tie into Samhain, as ancient Celts wore costumes to confuse the spirits to be left alone. Early Halloween costumes symbolized the souls of the dead or demons. When the tradition was brought to America, settlers continued to embrace these themes, using items they had at home to completely disguise themselves. 

In the 1920s and 30s, Halloween became more commercialized. Pop culture began to influence costumes, and costume manufacturing companies began to emerge that licensed images of popular characters like Popeye and Minnie Mouse.

Trick-or-treating

There are a few theories about the origins of trick-or-treating. One is that it, too, dates back to Samhain, when the Celtic people would put out food to appease the spirits. A second theory is that it dates back to Scottish traditions during the Middle Ages when, on All Saints Day, people would collect money and food in exchange for prayers for the dead. 

Some believe this tradition comes from belsnicking, a German-American tradition where children dressed in costume and asked neighbors to see if they could identify who they were. If no one identified them, they were rewarded with treats. Until the middle of the 20th century, children didn’t receive candy. Instead, they were given nuts, coins, fruit, and small toys.

Other traditions and ways that Halloween is celebrated

Below are a few other symbols and traditions surrounding Halloween and their meanings: 

• Ghosts: Ancient Celts believed that spirits walked the Earth during Samhain, and the idea of ghosts has long been a part of Halloween traditions. 
• Black cats: In the Middle Ages, black cats were considered a sign of the devil. Accused witches often had black cats, and people began to associate them with the supernatural. 
• Black and orange: These traditional colors of Halloween celebrations also date back to Samhain, with black representing the end of summer and orange representing the harvest season.
• Haunted houses: Haunted houses have a unique history in the U.S. that dates back to the Great Depression. Parents, afraid of their children getting into trouble on All Hallow’s Eve, set up haunted houses or trails to keep their kids off the street.

History of Halloween commercialization

Because of its popularity, Halloween became increasingly commercialized over time. In the 1920s and 1930s, people began holding Halloween parties and masquerades at family homes or rented halls. This period was also when costume companies began mass-producing costumes of licensed characters. 

Trick-or-treating became more popular in the 1950s, leading candy companies to manufacture small, individually wrapped candies. While some people still preferred other treats, individually wrapped candy began to be the primary treat in the 1970s when people began to be leery of unwrapped treats for their children.

Halloween and commercialization today

Halloween has steadily become more and more commercialized over the years, with spending rising for years. Today, Halloween is not just for children and young people; about three-quarters of adults celebrate it as well, and Halloween spending is driven largely by Millennials and Generation Z.

The role of horror movies

Because Halloween is associated with ghosts, spirits, fear, and death, it has become a popular time of year to release horror films and scary television shows. A classic example is Halloween, which was released in 1978. This film and others like it helped shift Halloween from being something for children to something adults could also enjoy.

Not just the month of October

Today, you can find Halloween merchandise starting as early as August. Some of the largest costume shops in the U.S. open before the summer ends, and big box stores generally put their Halloween products out as soon as the back-to-school sales end. Many products are available online even early, some as early as July. Halloween merchandise is so popular that some stores have even begun having halfway-to-Halloween sales in April.

This phenomenon has become known in retail as “holiday creep,” when retailers start selling holiday-themed merchandise well before the traditional holiday season. This phenomenon is not unique to Halloween festivities; Christmas items are also put on the shelves well before December. In fact, in some stores, they are on the shelves before Halloween ends. Some stores, like the Spirit Halloween store, are also dedicated to full-time or part-time Halloween sales. 

How to balance celebrating with commercialization

Some people find enjoying Halloween and other holidays challenging because of the high level of commercialization. The day can seem lost in the push to buy more items. However, you can celebrate these and other holidays without getting caught up in the commercialization of it all. Below are ways to celebrate the spooky harvest season without giving in to consumerism: 

• Learn how to make your own pumpkin-spiced coffee and other treats at home.
• You can make your own costumes using items in your closet or go to the thrift store to find and reuse an outfit. 
• Consider an alternative to Halloween candy for trick-or-treaters. For example, you can make recycled crayons by melting old broken crayons in a muffin tin. 
• Buy Halloween decorations from craft shows or independent businesses.

Mental health effects of over-commercialization

Over-commercialization can have profound effects on one’s ability to enjoy Halloween and other holidays, and it can also impact mental health. Over-commercialization can foster feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem, adding pressure to buy new items and compare oneself to others. Some costumes can also contribute to body image issues, and the pressure to keep up with others can increase stress and anxiety, especially in those who already have pre-existing mental health conditions like generalized anxiety disorder.

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How to get support

If you are experiencing increased feelings of anxiety or other mental health symptoms as a result of commercial pressure, talking to a therapist can help. However, if making time to attend traditional therapy sessions is difficult, especially in October, when the holiday season is just beginning to take off, you might consider online therapy options. 

Online therapy can be an effective, convenient alternative to in-person treatment, allowing you to attend online sessions anywhere you have an internet connection and a computer or smartphone. On an online platform like BetterHelp, many people can be matched with a provider in as little as 48 hours after signing up. Online therapy can be an effective way to treat a variety of mental health challenges, with one meta-analysis of 20 studies finding that online treatment is a viable option for treating generalized anxiety disorder.