Happy Monday! It’s time for Did You Know.
Many of us are excited about Halloween approaching, and people enjoy the day (and night) in many different ways. But did you know the name Halloween has nothing to do with pumpkin and candy traditions?
It’s true.
The moniker “Halloween” is a shortening of All Hallows’ Eve; or more correctly, it’s the shortening of Hallowe’en, which is the Scottish contraction of Allhallows’ Even, which is Scottish for All Hallows’ Eve.
The really fun part is All Hallows’ is another term for the Christian celebration of All Saints’, making Halloween the Eve of All Saint’s Day by definition. These two days are followed by All Souls’ Day, and the three together make up the triduum of Allhallowtide, the Christian celebration of the departed.
Of course, not all Christian faiths celebrate Allhallowtide, so maybe that is why some Christians don’t understand the term Halloween is Christian and not pagan, and reject the term Halloween by calling it a harvest celebration.
So while you are celebrating the day, have a little fun remembering you may be celebrating the old way instead of the Christian holiday, in which case, are you really celebrating “Halloween?”
The coming Halloween issue of House of Stitched Magazine has a lot more on Halloween as we know it. Ebook release is the 15th and full release is the 22nd.
Stitched Smile Publications 