Hi, everyone! Today I will talk about another holiday. We all know how important rest is if we want to deal with stress and be happy and healthy. This time I will talk about Halloween. The thing is, I never really understood why we celebrate Halloween. However, in fact, I never celebrate Halloween, but I still want to understand why Halloween is celebrated.
Almost nobody in my country celebrates Halloween, and it isn’t my nation’s tradition. But I know that a lot of people in the world celebrate Halloween, so that is why I decided to talk about it. The other reason is that we all need holidays. Right?
At first, I thought, why do I need to even write about a holiday that I don’t celebrate? But I was wrong to think it is some kind of tradition that comes from another place and I can’t relate to it. Do you want to know why I changed my mind?
Why Do We Celebrate Halloween?
Did you ever wonder how all traditions came to be? What is so special about Halloween?
It looks like Halloween’s roots go a long way back in history.
Everybody knows that Halloween takes place on October 31, but there are a lot of things you might not know.
The earliest known root of Halloween is the ancient Gaelic festival of Samhain. This day not only marked a time when seasons changed, but they believed that the boundary between worlds was thin at this time, and this allows to connect with the dead. Many cultures believed it, and my ancestors weren’t an exception.
I don’t know how to say this in English, but this time of the year was the time when my ancestors connected with their dead loved ones and even made a feast for them. It wasn’t only one day; it was about a month-long time when evening comes very fast. For them, it wasn’t anything spooky. It was a way of life. I never celebrate this time, but I understand why someone wants to do it. It is the time when we remember.
There is also the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur that involves saying prayers for the dead.
What was Samhain? How did the traditions evolve?
This holiday included a lot of ritualistic ceremonies to connect to spirits, but sadly we don’t know much about these celebrations. Celts celebrated in costume, and they enjoyed special feasts and made lanterns.
When Christianity took over, many things changed, and now traditions have evolved and been modernized. For example, mystical rituals evolved into more lighthearted fun and games. The concept of connecting to the dead was replaced with the idea of telling the future.
What about costumes?
People dressed up as saints and recited songs, and children would go from door to door asking for “soul cakes” (a treat that is similar to biscuits). Interestingly, there was a third holiday – All Souls’ Day on November 2nd, and Soul Cakes were a part of this holiday. Later, it became a part of Halloween night.
Costumes evolved too, and now Halloween costumes are scary, spooky, funny, and creative.
Popular Holiday
Halloween is a popular holiday in America, but in fact, it almost didn’t make it. Puritans didn’t take part in the celebrations because of this holiday’s pagan roots. When Scottish and Irish immigrants began to arrive in America, the holiday made its way back into the zeitgeist.
By the early 20th century, Halloween was celebrated across North America.
Now, this day is full of costume parties, sweets, and fun. Of course, there are people who, like Puritans, think that it isn’t good to celebrate this day. But why not?
Why can we celebrate this day just for fun? Not always is needed to find other reasons. It is good for you to just let it go, rest, and relax a little. It will be healthy for you because, as I always say, stress is the silent killer, that can cause brain damage and other health problems. You don’t want stress to destroy your life, so rest and do something enjoyable. This day is great for that, and you also need to find time for yourself every day. Meditate, do something for fun, something you enjoy, and just be you. I can promise you that you will feel much better afterward.
How to Celebrate and Ease Your Stressful Life by Enjoying This Holiday?
What to do?
Just take your time to relax and be together with your loved ones. You can attend Halloween parties and carve pumpkins.
I don’t advise watching horror movies because they can make you stressed or anxious, like me. I don’t like to watch horror movies.
It is better if you don’t eat too many sweets because sugar isn’t good for your health and stress management.
Conclusion
Now I know why we celebrate Halloween, and this day has a lot of roots. Halloween is a day full of fun and remembrance of our past. It is an amazing day to enjoy life, relax, and forget all about your worries and stress. We all know that laughter and fun help us to reduce stress and feel better.
How do you celebrate this day? Let me know below!
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Until next time, dear reader! See you soon!
Linda Mo
Founder of How To Reduce Stress Naturally