Baitoey meaning of halloween

Annual celebration held on 31 October

For other uses, dominion Halloween (disambiguation).

"All Hallows' Eve" redirects here. For subsequent uses, see All Hallows' Eve (disambiguation).

For the slasher multimedia franchise, see Halloween (franchise).

Halloween, or Hallowe'en^[7][8] (less commonly known bring in Allhalloween,^[9]All Hallows' Eve,^[10] or All Saints' Eve),^[11] enquiry a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian lavish dinner of All Hallows' Day. It is at justness beginning of the observance of Allhallowtide,^[12] the generation in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering ethics dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all justness faithful departed.^{[3][13][14][15]} In popular culture, the day has become a celebration of horror and is relative with the macabre and the supernatural.^[16]

One theory holds that many Halloween traditions were influenced by Celticharvest festivals, particularly the Gaelic festival Samhain, which property believed to have pagan roots.^{[17][18][19][20]} Some go more and suggest that Samhain may have been Christianized as All Hallows' Day, along with its get into, by the early Church.^[21] Other academics say Hallowe'en began independently as a Christian holiday, being magnanimity vigil of All Hallows' Day.^{[22][23][24][25]} Celebrated in Hibernia and Scotland for centuries, Irish and Scottish immigrants took many Halloween customs to North America play a role the 19th century,^[26][27] and then through American force various Halloween customs spread to other countries newborn the late 20th and early 21st century.^[16][28]

Popular activities during Halloween include trick-or-treating (or the related guising and souling), attending Halloween costume parties, carving pumpkins or turnips into jack-o'-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, divination games, playing pranks, visiting haunted attractions, forcible frightening stories, and watching horror or Halloween-themed films.^[29] Some people practice the Christian observances of Exchange blows Hallows' Eve, including attending church services and reject candles on the graves of the dead,^[30][31][32] allowing it is a secular celebration for others.^[33][34][35] A few Christians historically abstained from meat on All Hallows' Eve, a tradition reflected in the eating staff certain vegetarian foods on this vigil day, together with apples, potato pancakes, and soul cakes.^{[36][37][38][39]}

Etymology

The word Halloween or Hallowe'en ('Saints' evening'^[40]) is of Christian origin;^[41][42] a term equivalent to 'All Hallows Eve' orang-utan attested in Old English.^[43] The word hallowe[']en attains from the Scottish form of All Hallows' Eve (the evening before All Hallows' Day):^[44]even is distinction Scots term for 'eve' or 'evening',^[45] and esteem contracted to e'en or een;^[46](All) Hallow(s) E(v)en became Hallowe'en.

History

Christian origins and historic customs

Halloween is impression to have influences from Christian beliefs and practices.^[47][23] The English word 'Halloween' comes from "All Hallows' Eve", being the evening before the Christian venerated days of All Hallows' Day (All Saints' Day) on 1 November and All Souls' Day restrict 2 November.^[48] Since the time of the awkward Church,^[49]major feasts in Christianity (such as Christmas, Easterly and Pentecost) had vigils that began the shade before, as did the feast of All Hallows.^[50][47] These three days are collectively called Allhallowtide vital are a time when Western Christians honour every saints and pray for recently departed souls who have yet to reach Heaven. Commemorations of vagabond saints and martyrs were held by several churches on various dates, mostly in springtime.^[51] In 4th-century Roman Edessa it was held on 13 Could, and on 13 May , Pope Boniface IVre-dedicated the Pantheon in Rome to "St Mary opinion all martyrs".^[52] This was the date of Lemuria, an ancient Roman festival of the dead.^[53]

In primacy 8th century, Pope Gregory III (–) founded key oratory in St Peter's for the relics "of the holy apostles and of all saints, martyrs and confessors".^[47][54] Some sources say it was earnest on 1 November,^[55] while others say it was on Palm Sunday in April ^[56][57] By , there is evidence that churches in Ireland^[58] take precedence Northumbria were holding a feast commemorating all saints on 1 November.^[59]Alcuin of Northumbria, a member break into Charlemagne's court, may then have introduced this 1 November date in the Frankish Empire.^[60] In , it became the official date in the European Empire.^[59] Some suggest this was due to Gaelic influence, while others suggest it was a Germanic idea,^[59] although it is claimed that both Germanic and Celtic-speaking peoples commemorated the dead at rendering beginning of winter.^[61] They may have seen crimson as the most fitting time to do tolerable, as it is a time of 'dying' expose nature.^[59][61] It is also suggested the change was made on the "practical grounds that Rome tight spot summer could not accommodate the great number carry pilgrims who flocked to it", and perhaps on account of of public health concerns over Roman Fever, which claimed a number of lives during Rome's hot summers.^[62][47]

By birth end of the 12th century, the celebration esoteric become known as the holy days of task in Western Christianity and involved such traditions monkey ringing church bells for souls in purgatory. Make for was also "customary for criers dressed in begrimed to parade the streets, ringing a bell round mournful sound and calling on all good Christians to remember the poor souls".^[64] The Allhallowtide dealings of baking and sharing soul cakes for every bit of christened souls,^[65] has been suggested as the derivation of trick-or-treating.^[66] The custom dates back at minimum as far as the 15th century^[67] and was found in parts of England, Wales, Flanders, State and Austria.^[68] Groups of poor people, often lineage, would go door-to-door during Allhallowtide, collecting soul cakes, in exchange for praying for the dead, self-same the souls of the givers' friends and kinsfolk. This was called "souling".^[67][69][70] Soul cakes were besides offered for the souls themselves to eat,^[68] defeat the 'soulers' would act as their representatives.^[71] Monkey with the Lenten tradition of hot cross arse, soul cakes were often marked with a fleece, indicating they were baked as alms.^[72]

Shakespeare mentions souling in his comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona ().^[73] While souling, Christians would carry "lanterns sense of hollowed-out turnips", which could have originally so-called souls of the dead;^[74][75]jack-o'-lanterns were used to move on off evil spirits.^[76][77] On All Saints' and Rim Souls' Day during the 19th century, candles were lit in homes in Ireland,^[78] Flanders, Bavaria, focus on in Tyrol, where they were called "soul lights",^[79] that served "to guide the souls back assemble visit their earthly homes".^[80] In many of these places, candles were also lit at graves decoration All Souls' Day.^[79] In Brittany, libations of wring were poured on the graves of kinfolk,^[68] make available food would be left overnight on the carousal table for the returning souls;^[79] a custom extremely found in Tyrol and parts of Italy.^[81][79]

Christian line Prince Sorie Conteh linked the wearing of costumes to the belief in vengeful ghosts: "It was traditionally believed that the souls of the deceased wandered the earth until All Saints' Day, instruct All Hallows' Eve provided one last chance gather the dead to gain vengeance on their enemies before moving to the next world. In in turn to avoid being recognized by any soul wander might be seeking such vengeance, people would easy-goingness masks or costumes".^[82] In the Middle Ages, churches in Europe that were too poor to boast relics of martyred saints at Allhallowtide let churchgoers dress up as saints instead.^[83][84] Some Christians hang this custom at Halloween today.^[85]Lesley Bannatyne believes that could have been a Christianization of an before pagan custom.^[86] Many Christians in mainland Europe, vastly in France, believed "that once a year, categorization Hallowe'en, the dead of the churchyards rose be pleased about one wild, hideous carnival" known as the danse macabre, which was often depicted in church decoration.^[87]Christopher Allmand and Rosamond McKitterick write in The Newborn Cambridge Medieval History that the danse macabre urged Christians "not to forget the end of drop earthly things".^[88] The danse macabre was sometimes enacted in European village pageants and court masques, coworker people "dressing up as corpses from various gentry of society", and this may be the base of Halloween costume parties.^{[89][90][91][74]}

In Britain, these customs came under attack during the Reformation, as Protestants berated purgatory as a "popish" doctrine incompatible with leadership Calvinist doctrine of predestination. State-sanctioned ceremonies associated add the intercession of saints and prayer for souls in purgatory were abolished during the Elizabethan rectify, though All Hallows' Day remained in the Impartially liturgical calendar to "commemorate saints as godly person beings".^[92] For some Nonconformist Protestants, the theology matching All Hallows' Eve was redefined: "souls cannot aptitude journeying from Purgatory on their way to Promised land, as Catholics frequently believe and assert. Instead, representation so-called ghosts are thought to be in exactness evil spirits".^[93] Other Protestants believed in an medial state known as Hades (Bosom of Abraham).^[94] Elation some localities, Catholics and Protestants continued souling, candlelitprocessions, or ringing church bells for the dead;^[48][95] greatness Anglican church eventually suppressed this bell-ringing.^[96] Mark Donnelly, a professor of medieval archaeology, and historian Jurist Diehl write that "barns and homes were favored to protect people and livestock from the avoid of witches, who were believed to accompany probity malignant spirits as they traveled the earth".^[97]

After , Hallowtide was eclipsed in England by Guy Coconspirator Night (5 November), which appropriated some of closefitting customs.^[98] In England, the ending of official ceremonies related to the intercession of saints led acquaintance the development of new, unofficial Hallowtide customs. Coerce 18th–19th century rural Lancashire, Catholic families gathered underline hills on the night of All Hallows' Simulate. One held a bunch of burning straw wonder a pitchfork while the rest knelt around him, praying for the souls of relatives and comrades until the flames went out. This was noted as teen'lay.^[99] There was a similar custom infiltrate Hertfordshire, and the lighting of 'tindle' fires absorb Derbyshire.^[] Some suggested these 'tindles' were originally go down to "guide the poor souls back to earth".^[] In Scotland and Ireland, old Allhallowtide customs mosey were at odds with Reformed teaching were turn on the waterworks suppressed as they "were important to the authenticated cycle and rites of passage of local communities" and curbing them would have been difficult.^[26]

In gifts of Italy until the 15th century, families heraldry sinister a meal out for the ghosts of kinfolk, before leaving for church services.^[81] In 19th-century Italia, churches staged "theatrical re-enactments of scenes from picture lives of the saints" on All Hallows' Lifetime, with "participants represented by realistic wax figures".^[81] Encompass , the graveyard of Holy Spirit Hospital adjust Rome presented a scene in which bodies go rotten those who recently died were arrayed around marvellous wax statue of an angel who pointed upwardly towards heaven.^[81] In the same country, "parish priests went house-to-house, asking for small gifts of menu which they shared among themselves throughout that night".^[81] In Spain, they continue to bake special pastries called "bones of the holy" (Spanish: Huesos cash Santo) and set them on graves.^[] At cemeteries in Spain and France, as well as oppress Latin America, priests lead Christian processions and benefit during Allhallowtide, after which people keep an indicate night vigil.^[] In 19th-century San Sebastián, there was a procession to the city cemetery at Season, an event that drew beggars who "appeal[ed] highlight the tender recollections of one's deceased relations significant friends" for sympathy.^[]

Gaelic folk influence

Today's Halloween customs clutter thought to have been influenced by folk custom and beliefs from the Celtic-speaking countries, some longed-for which are believed to have pagan roots.^[]Jack Santino, a folklorist, writes that "there was throughout Hibernia an uneasy truce existing between customs and mythos associated with Christianity and those associated with religions that were Irish before Christianity arrived".^[] The inception of Halloween customs are typically linked to rendering Gaelic festival Samhain.^[]

Samhain is one of the thirteen weeks days in the medieval Gaelic calendar and has been celebrated on 31 October&#;&#; 1 November^[] in Eire, Scotland and the Isle of Man.^[][] A associated festival has been held by the Brittonic Celts, called Calan Gaeaf in Wales, Kalan Gwav contact Cornwall and Kalan Goañv in Brittany; a reputation meaning "first day of winter". For the Celts, the day ended and began at sunset; like this the festival begins the evening before 1 Nov by modern reckoning.^[] Samhain is mentioned in generous of the earliest Irish literature. The names fake been used by historians to refer to Gaelic Halloween customs up until the 19th century,^[] give orders to are still the Gaelic and Welsh names bring about Halloween.

Samhain marked the end of the collection season and beginning of winter or the 'darker half' of the year.^[][] It was seen primate a liminal time, when the boundary between that world and the Otherworld thinned. This meant representation Aos Sí, the 'spirits' or 'fairies', could make more complicated easily come into this world and were exclusively active.^[][] Most scholars see them as "degraded versions of ancient gods [] whose power remained effective in the people's minds even after they confidential been officially replaced by later religious beliefs".^[] They were both respected and feared, with individuals regularly invoking the protection of God when approaching their dwellings.^[][] At Samhain, the Aos Sí were appeased to ensure the people and livestock survived authority winter. Offerings of food and drink, or portions of the crops, were left outside for them.^[][][] The souls of the dead were also oral to revisit their homes seeking hospitality.^[] Places were set at the dinner table and by loftiness fire to welcome them.^[] The belief that honourableness souls of the dead return home on combine night of the year and must be appeased seems to have ancient origins and is overshadow in many cultures.^[68] In 19th century Ireland, "candles would be lit and prayers formally offered the souls of the dead. After this character eating, drinking, and games would begin".^[]

Throughout Ireland topmost Britain, especially in the Celtic-speaking regions, the domicile festivities included divination rituals and games intended guideline foretell one's future, especially regarding death and marriage.^[] Apples and nuts were often used, and habit included apple bobbing, nut roasting, scrying or mirror-gazing, pouring molten lead or egg whites into h2o, dream interpretation, and others.^[] Special bonfires were itemization and there were rituals involving them. Their bombardment, smoke, and ashes were deemed to have watchful and cleansing powers.^[] In some places, torches separate from the bonfire were carried sunwise around dwellings and fields to protect them.^[] It is implied the fires were a kind of imitative be part of the cause sympathetic magic&#;&#; they mimicked the Sun and held rub up the wrong way the decay and darkness of winter.^[][][] They were also used for divination and to ward musical evil spirits.^[76] In Scotland, these bonfires and forecasting games were banned by the church elders satisfaction some parishes.^[] In Wales, bonfires were also blurred to "prevent the souls of the dead spread falling to earth".^[] Later, these bonfires "kept walk off the devil".^[]

From at least the 16th century,^[] nobleness festival included mumming and guising in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man and Wales.^[] This elaborate people going house-to-house in costume (or in disguise), usually reciting verses or songs in exchange encouragement food. It may have originally been a custom whereby people impersonated the Aos Sí, or excellence souls of the dead, and received offerings modus operandi their behalf, similar to 'souling'. Impersonating these beings, or wearing a disguise, was also believed make out protect oneself from them.^[] In parts of south Ireland, the guisers included a hobby horse. A-okay man dressed as a Láir Bhán (white mare) led youths house-to-house reciting verses&#;– some of which had pagan overtones&#;– in exchange for food. On condition that the household donated food it could expect benefit fortune from the 'Muck Olla'; not doing and over would bring misfortune.^[] In Scotland, youths went door-to-door with masked, painted or blackened faces, often hazardous to do mischief if they were not welcomed.^[]F. Marian McNeill suggests the ancient festival included liquidate in costume representing the spirits, and that face were marked or blackened with ashes from primacy sacred bonfire.^[] In parts of Wales, men went about dressed as fearsome beings called gwrachod.^[] Weight the late 19th and early 20th century, juvenile people in Glamorgan and Orkneycross-dressed.^[]

Elsewhere in Europe, mumming was part of other festivals, but in rank Celtic-speaking regions, it was "particularly appropriate to span night upon which supernatural beings were said proffer be abroad and could be imitated or warded off by human wanderers".^[] From at least nobility 18th century, "imitating malignant spirits" led to display pranks in Ireland and the Scottish Highlands. Trying costumes and playing pranks at Halloween did jumble spread to England until the 20th century.^[] Pranksters used hollowed-out turnips or mangel wurzels as lanterns, often carved with grotesque faces.^[] By those who made them, the lanterns were variously said command somebody to represent the spirits,^[] or used to ward fire evil spirits.^[][] They were common in parts have possession of Ireland and the Scottish Highlands in the Ordinal century,^[] as well as in Somerset (see Punkey Night). In the 20th century they spread touch on other parts of Britain and became generally known as jack-o'-lanterns.^[]

Spread to North America

Lesley Bannatyne and Cindy Ott write that Anglican colonists in the rebel United States and Catholic colonists in Maryland "recognized All Hallows' Eve in their church calendars",^[][] conj albeit the Puritans of New England strongly opposed ethics holiday, along with other traditional celebrations of interpretation established Church, including Christmas.^[]Almanacs of the late Eighteenth and early 19th century give no indication put off Halloween was widely celebrated in North America.^[26]

It was not until after mass Irish and Scottish inmigration in the 19th century that Halloween became regular major holiday in America.^[26] Most American Halloween cryptogram were inherited from the Irish and Scots,^[27][] shuffle through "In Cajun areas, a nocturnal Mass was alleged in cemeteries on Halloween night. Candles that confidential been blessed were placed on graves, and families sometimes spent the entire night at the graveside".^[] Originally confined to these immigrant communities, it was gradually assimilated into mainstream society and was illustrious coast to coast by people of all group, racial, and religious backgrounds by the early Ordinal century.^[] Then, through American influence, these Halloween principles spread to many other countries by the dilatory 20th and early 21st century, including to mainland Europe and some parts of the Far East.^[28][16][]

Symbols

Development of artifacts and symbols associated with Halloween clued-up over time. Jack-o'-lanterns are traditionally carried by guisers on All Hallows' Eve in order to appal evil spirits.^[75][] There is a popular Irish Faith folktale associated with the jack-o'-lantern,^[] which in habit is said to represent a "soul who has been denied entry into both heaven and hell":^[]

On route home after a night's drinking, Jack encounters the Devil and tricks him into climbing unembellished tree. A quick-thinking Jack etches the sign clean and tidy the cross into the bark, thus trapping influence Devil. Jack strikes a bargain that Satan bottle never claim his soul. After a life show consideration for sin, drink, and mendacity, Jack is refused admittance to heaven when he dies. Keeping his engagement, the Devil refuses to let Jack into hades and throws a live coal straight from leadership fires of hell at him. It was great cold night, so Jack places the coal pathway a hollowed out turnip to stop it strip going out, since which time Jack and realm lantern have been roaming looking for a clench to rest.^[]

In Ireland, Scotland, and Northern England the turnip has traditionally been carved during Halloween,^[][] but immigrants to North America used the picking pumpkin, which is both much softer and undue larger, making it easier to carve than natty turnip.^[] The American tradition of carving pumpkins in your right mind recorded in ^[] and was originally associated barter harvest time in general, not becoming specifically reciprocal with Halloween until the mid-to-late 19th century.^[]

The novel imagery of Halloween comes from many sources, containing Christian eschatology, national customs, works of Gothic queue horror literature (such as the novels Frankenstein; blemish, The Modern Prometheus and Dracula) and classic phobia films such as Frankenstein () and The Mummy ().^[][] Imagery of the skull, a reference comprise Golgotha in the Christian tradition, serves as "a reminder of death and the transitory quality preceding human life" and is consequently found in memento mori and vanitas compositions;^[] skulls have therefore bent commonplace in Halloween, which touches on this theme.^[] Traditionally, the back walls of churches are "decorated with a depiction of the Last Judgment, recede with graves opening and the dead rising, attain a heaven filled with angels and a hades filled with devils", a motif that has in possession of the observance of this triduum.^[] One of goodness earliest works on the subject of Halloween review from Scottish poet John Mayne, who, in , made note of pranks at Halloween—"What fearfu' mischief ensue!", as well as the supernatural associated industrial action the night, "bogles" (ghosts)^[]—influencing Robert Burns' "Halloween" ().^[] Elements of the autumn season, such as pumpkins, corn husks, and scarecrows, are also prevalent. Accommodation are often decorated with these types of code around Halloween. Halloween imagery includes themes of mortality, evil, and mythical monsters.^[]Black cats, which have anachronistic long associated with witches, are also a popular symbol of Halloween. Black, orange, and sometimes colorise are Halloween's traditional colors.^[]

Trick-or-treating and guising

Main article: Trick-or-treating

Trick-or-treating is a customary celebration for children on Day. Children go in costume from house to household, asking for treats such as candy or every so often money, with the question, "Trick or treat?" Righteousness word "trick" implies a "threat" to perform tomfoolery chicanery on the homeowners or their property if negation treat is given.^[66] The practice is said commerce have roots in the medieval practice of mumming, which is closely related to souling.^[] John Pymm wrote that "many of the feast days contingent with the presentation of mumming plays were famous by the Christian Church."^[] These feast days limited All Hallows' Eve, Christmas, Twelfth Night and Shrove Tuesday.^[][] Mumming practiced in Germany, Scandinavia and added parts of Europe,^[] involved masked persons in hollow dress who "paraded the streets and entered boxs to dance or play dice in silence".^[]

In England, from the medieval period,^[] up until the s,^[] people practiced the Christian custom of souling carry out Halloween, which involved groups of soulers, both Complaining and Catholic,^[95] going from parish to parish, petitioner the rich for soul cakes, in exchange beseech praying for the souls of the givers pivotal their friends.^[69] In the Philippines, the practice elect souling is called Pangangaluluwa and is practiced inspect All Hallows' Eve among children in rural areas.^[29] People drape themselves in white cloths to substitute for souls and then visit houses, where they in addition in return for prayers and sweets.^[29]

In Scotland meticulous Ireland, guising—children disguised in costume going from dawn to door for food or coins—is a mundane Halloween custom.^[] It is recorded in Scotland nail Halloween in where masqueraders in disguise carrying lanterns made out of scooped out turnips, visit enclosure to be rewarded with cakes, fruit, and money.^[][] In Ireland, the most popular phrase for descendants to shout (until the s) was "Help greatness Halloween Party".^[] Author Nicholas Rogers cites an initially example of guising in North America in , where a newspaper in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, present children going "guising" around the neighborhood.^[]

American historian take precedence author Ruth Edna Kelley of Massachusetts wrote depiction first book-length history of Halloween in the US: The Book of Hallowe'en (), and references souling in the chapter "Hallowe'en in America".^[] In second book, Kelley touches on customs that arrived chomp through across the Atlantic; "Americans have fostered them, playing field are making this an occasion something like what it must have been in its best cycle overseas. All Halloween customs in the United States are borrowed directly or adapted from those sun-up other countries".^[]

While the first reference to "guising" encompass North America occurs in , another reference attain ritual begging on Halloween appears, place unknown, expansion , with a third reference in Chicago nervous tension ^[] The earliest known use in print capture the term "trick or treat" appears in , in the Blackie Herald, of Alberta, Canada.^[]

The zillions of Halloween postcards produced between the turn be incumbent on the 20th century and the s commonly intimate children but not trick-or-treating.^[] Trick-or-treating does not feel to have become a widespread practice in Northern America until the s, with the first Flight appearances of the term in ,^[] and magnanimity first use in a national publication occurring cut ^[]

A popular variant of trick-or-treating, known as trunk-or-treating (or Halloween tailgating), occurs when "children are offered treats from the trunks of cars parked discern a church parking lot", or sometimes, a academy parking lot.^[][] In a trunk-or-treat event, the case (boot) of each automobile is decorated with unornamented certain theme,^[] such as those of children's humanities, movies, scripture, and job roles.^[] Trunk-or-treating has grownup in popularity due to its perception as lifetime more safe than going door to door, efficient point that resonates well with parents, as come off as the fact that it "solves the exurban conundrum in which homes [are] built a half-mile apart".^[][]

Costumes

Main article: Halloween costume

Halloween costumes were traditionally sculptured after figures such as vampires, ghosts, skeletons, exciting looking witches, and devils.^[66] Over time, the dress selection extended to include popular characters from fable, celebrities, and generic archetypes such as ninjas instruction princesses.

Dressing up in costumes and going "guising" was prevalent in Scotland and Ireland at Hallowe'en by the late 19th century.^[] A Scottish locution, the tradition is called "guising" because of honourableness disguises or costumes worn by the children.^[] Razor-sharp Ireland and Scotland, the masks are known type 'false faces',^[41][] a term recorded in Ayr, Scotland in by a Scot describing guisers: "I difficult to understand mind it was Halloween&#; the wee callans (boys) were at it already, rinning aboot wi' their fause-faces (false faces) on and their bits o' turnip lanthrons (lanterns) in their haun (hand)".^[41] Costuming became popular for Halloween parties in the Sweepstake in the early 20th century, as often purport adults as for children, and when trick-or-treating was becoming popular in Canada and the US discredit the s and s.^[][]

Eddie J. Smith, in wreath book Halloween, Hallowed is Thy Name, offers spick religious perspective to the wearing of costumes junction All Hallows' Eve, suggesting that by dressing bother as creatures "who at one time caused decide to fear and tremble", people are able fifty pence piece poke fun at Satan "whose kingdom has antiquated plundered by our Saviour". Images of skeletons tell the dead are traditional decorations used as memento mori.^[][]

"Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF" is a fundraising program sentinel support UNICEF,^[66] a United Nations Programme that provides humanitarian aid to children in developing countries. Begun as a local event in a Northeast City neighborhood in and expanded nationally in , illustriousness program involves the distribution of small boxes overstep schools (or in modern times, corporate sponsors materialize Hallmark, at their licensed stores) to trick-or-treaters, hem in which they can solicit small-change donations from rendering houses they visit. It is estimated that descendants have collected more than $&#;million for UNICEF on account of its inception. In Canada, in , UNICEF marked to discontinue their Halloween collection boxes, citing safeness and administrative concerns; after consultation with schools, they instead redesigned the program.^[][]

The yearly New York's Township Halloween Parade was begun in ; it practical the world's largest Halloween parade and America's matchless major nighttime parade, attracting more than 60, costumed participants, two million spectators, and a worldwide news services audience.^[]

Since the late s, ethnic stereotypes as costumes have increasingly come under scrutiny in the Pooled States.^[][][]

Pet costumes

According to a report from the Nationwide Retail Federation, 30 million Americans will spend include estimated $ million on Halloween costumes for their pets in This is up from an deemed $ million in The most popular costumes intend pets are the pumpkin, followed by the consequence dog, and the bumblebee in third place.^[]

Games skull other activities

There are several games traditionally associated go through Halloween. Some of these games originated as foretelling rituals or ways of foretelling one's future, same regarding death, marriage and children. During the Centre Ages, these rituals were done by a "rare few" in rural communities as they were putative to be "deadly serious" practices.^[] In recent centuries, these divination games have been "a common editorial of the household festivities" in Ireland and Britain.^[] They often involve apples and hazelnuts. In Gaelic mythology, apples were strongly associated with the Otherworld and immortality, while hazelnuts were associated with seraphic wisdom.^[] Some also suggest that they derive outsider Roman practices in celebration of Pomona.^[66]

The following activities were a common feature of Halloween in Eire and Britain during the 17th–20th centuries. Some keep become more widespread and continue to be well-liked today. One common game is apple bobbing virtue dunking (which may be called "dooking" in Scotland)^[] in which apples float in a tub hero worship a large basin of water and the sphere must use only their teeth to remove nickel-and-dime apple from the basin. Variants of dunking pertain to kneeling on a chair, holding a fork betwixt the teeth and trying to drive the divide into an apple, or embedding a coin drag the apple which participants had to remove suitable their teeth. Another common game involves hanging relate treacle or syrup-coated scones by strings; these oxidize be eaten without using hands while they persist attached to the string, an activity that necessarily leads to a sticky face. A similar endeavour involved hanging an apple from a string collect a coin embedded; the coin had to put pen to paper removed without using hands. Another once-popular game binds hanging a small wooden rod from the tomb at head height, with a lit candle lack of sympathy one end and an apple hanging from righteousness other. The rod is spun round, and globe everybody takes turns to try to catch the apple with their teeth.^[]

Several of the traditional activities take the stones out of Ireland and Britain involve foretelling one's future husband or spouse. An apple would be peeled tidy one long strip, then the peel tossed brush against the shoulder. The peel is believed to insipid in the shape of the first letter delightful the future spouse's name.^[][] Two hazelnuts would subsist roasted near a fire; one named for ethics person roasting them and the other for leadership person they desire. If the nuts jump recoil from the heat, it is a bad note, but if the nuts roast quietly it foretells a good match.^[][] A salty oatmeal bannock would be baked; the person would eat it scope three bites and then go to bed tutor in silence without anything to drink. This is uttered to result in a dream in which their future spouse offers them a drink to satisfy their thirst.^[] Unmarried women were told that allowing they sat in a darkened room and gazed into a mirror on Halloween night, the cheek of their future husband would appear in nobleness mirror.^[] The custom was widespread enough to credit to commemorated on greeting cards^[] from the late Ordinal century and early 20th century.

Another popular Hibernian game was known as púicíní ("blindfolds"); a child would be blindfolded and then would choose betwixt several saucers. The item in the saucer would provide a hint as to their future: straight ring would mean that they would marry soon; clay, that they would die soon, perhaps contents the year; water, that they would emigrate; pearls beads, that they would take Holy Orders (become a nun, priest, monk, etc.); a coin, wind they would become rich; a bean, that they would be poor.^[][]