0_Wizard
I love Halloween, eating all that candy you get from trick-or-treating, and dressing up in costumes are two of my favorite activities.
Halloween activities include trick-or-treating (or the related guising), attending Halloween costume parties, carving pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, divination games, playing pranks, visiting haunted attractions, telling scary stories, and watching horror films.
chosen_Halloween_0
Halloween
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Halloween
Halloween or Hallowe'en (a contraction of All Hallows' Evening), also known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve, is a celebration observed in a number of countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows' Day. It begins the three-day observance of Allhallowtide, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed. It is widely believed that many Halloween traditions originated from ancient Celtic harvest festivals, particularly the Gaelic festival Samhain; that such festivals may have had pagan roots; and that Samhain itself was Christianized as Halloween by the early Church.
Geography of Halloween
Halloween, a contraction of All Hallows' Eve, is a celebration observed on 31 October, the day before the feast of All Hallows'. The celebrations and observances of this day occur primarily in regions of the Western world, although some traditions vary significantly between geographical areas. Halloween, also spelled as Hallowe'en or Allhallowe'en, is a contraction of All Hallows' Eve, the eve or vigil before the Western Christian feast of All Hallows (or All Saints) which is observed on 1 November. This day begins the triduum of Hallowtide, which culminates with All Souls' Day. In the Middle Ages, many Christians held a folk belief that All Hallows' Eve was the "night where the veil between the material world and the afterlife was at its most transparent."
Trick-or-treating
Trick-or-treating is a Halloween ritual custom for children and adults in many countries. Children in costumes travel from house-to-house, asking for treats with the phrase "Trick or treat". The "treat" is usually some form of candy, although, in some cultures, money is used instead. The "trick" is a usually idle threat to perform mischief on the homeowners or their property if no treat is given. Trick-or-treating usually occurs on the evening of October 31. Some homeowners signal that they are willing to hand out treats by putting up Halloween decorations outside their doors; others simply leave treats available on their porches for the children to take freely.
List of Berenstain Bears books
This list of "Berenstain Bears" books includes many in the picture book series (such as "Beginner Books" and "First Time Books") and the illustrated children's novels, such as those in the "Big Chapter Books" series. Since the first "Berenstain Bears" installment was published in 1962, the series has sold close to 260 million copies. In addition to writing children's literature, the authors Stan and Jan Berenstain also wrote two parenting books, "What Your Parents Never Told You About Being a Mom or Dad" (1995) and "The Berenstain Bears and the Bear Essentials" (2005), as well as their autobiography, "Down a Sunny Dirt Road" (2002).
Tales of Halloween
Tales of Halloween is a 2015 American horror comedy film anthology consisting of ten interlocking segments. The film had its world premiere on July 24, 2015, at the Fantasia International Film Festival. It was released in a limited release and through video on demand on October 16, 2015, by Epic Pictures. The ten stories take place in a suburban American town whose denizens are terrorized by ghouls, aliens, and killers one Halloween night as a DJ (Adrienne Barbeau) adds her commentary to each one. Mikey (Daniel DiMaggio) has just finished trick-or-treating around his neighborhood and come home with a bag full of candy.
Beggars Night
Beggars Night, or more properly Beggars' Night, is a recent regional term for the early Halloween-related activity that is referred to in some parts of the United States as "Trick or Treat". Some municipal counties, concerned with younger children getting hurt on Halloween Day when trick-or-treating; decided for a weekday day before Halloween Day for younger children to go trick-or-treating safely. This day is varying by county and year depending when Halloween Day is, resulting in this day to be in some cases a week before Halloween Day. This term is new to possibly distinguish between Halloween Eve's or Halloween Days' Trick-or-Treating, which in most places is just called "The day the town decided when Trick-or-Treating was."
List of Halloween characters
The following are fictional characters in the American "Halloween" film series. Appears in ""  Alan "Big Al" Gateway (Michael Ruud) lost his son, who was killed by Michael Myers, on October 31, 1978. When he hears on a news station that Michael Myers has returned, he attempts to kill him for revenge. He, his brother Orrin, his friend Earl and other local men band together and try to locate Michael so that they can kill him. However, he is attacked and murdered by Michael, who stabs him in the central area of his stomach when he fights against him on the back of a pick up truck. Appears in: "Halloween II" (1981)  Alice Martin (Anne Bruner) is a supporting character in the second "Halloween" film.
1_Apprentice
I love Halloween too, How did it start as tradition of dressing up and collecting candy?
0_Wizard
Well most believe the traditions started as ancient Celtic harvest festivals, which may have had pagan roots. I think the trick-or-treating was probably popularized by candy companies if I had to guess.
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Halloween
Halloween or Hallowe'en (a contraction of All Hallows' Evening), also known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve, is a celebration observed in a number of countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows' Day. It begins the three-day observance of Allhallowtide, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed. It is widely believed that many Halloween traditions originated from ancient Celtic harvest festivals, particularly the Gaelic festival Samhain; that such festivals may have had pagan roots; and that Samhain itself was Christianized as Halloween by the early Church.
Wheel of the Year
The Wheel of the Year is an annual cycle of seasonal festivals, observed by many modern Pagans. It consists of either four or eight festivals: either the solstices and equinoxes, known as the "quarter days", or the four midpoints between, known as the "cross quarter days"; syncretic traditions like Wicca often celebrate all eight festivals. The festivals celebrated by differing sects of modern Paganism can vary considerably in name and date. Observing the cycle of the seasons has been important to many people, both ancient and modern, and many contemporary Pagan festivals are based to varying degrees on folk traditions.
Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism
Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism (also Celtic Reconstructionism or CR) is a polytheistic reconstructionist approach to Celtic neopaganism, emphasising historical accuracy over eclecticism such as is found in many forms of Neo-druidism. It is an effort to reconstruct and revive, in a modern Celtic cultural context, pre-Christian Celtic religions. Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism originated in discussions among amateur scholars and Neopagans in the mid-1980s, and evolved into an independent tradition by the early 1990s. Currently, "Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism" (CR) is an umbrella term, with a number of recognized sub-traditions or denominations.
Celts (modern)
A modern Celtic identity emerged in Western Europe following the identification of the native peoples of the Atlantic fringe as Celts by Edward Lhuyd in the 18th century. Lhuyd and others equated the Celts described by Greco-Roman writers with the pre-Roman peoples of France, Great Britain and Ireland. The Irish and ancient British languages were thus Celtic languages. The descendants of these languages were the Brittonic (Breton, Cornish and Welsh variants) and Gaelic (Irish, Manx and Scottish variants) languages. These peoples were therefore modern Celts. Attempts were made to link their distinctive cultures to those of the Ancient Celtic people.
Druidry (modern)
Druidry, sometimes termed Druidism, is a spiritual or religious movement that generally promotes harmony, connection, and reverence for the natural world. This commonly is extended to include respect for all beings, including the environment itself. Many forms of modern Druidry are modern Pagan religions, although most of the earliest modern Druids identified as Christians. Originating in Britain during the 18th century, Druidry was originally a cultural movement, only gaining religious or spiritual connotations in the 19th century. The core principle of Druidry is respect and veneration of nature, and as such it often involves participation in the environmental movement.
Wicca
Wicca (), also termed Pagan Witchcraft, is a contemporary Pagan new religious movement. It was developed in England during the first half of the 20th century and was introduced to the public in 1954 by Gerald Gardner, a retired British civil servant. Wicca draws upon a diverse set of ancient pagan and 20th-century hermetic motifs for its theological structure and ritual practices. Wicca has no central authority. Its traditional core beliefs, principles and practices were originally outlined in the 1940s and 1950s by Gardner and Doreen Valiente, both in published books as well as in secret written and oral teachings passed along to their initiates.
Trick-or-treating
Trick-or-treating is a Halloween ritual custom for children and adults in many countries. Children in costumes travel from house-to-house, asking for treats with the phrase "Trick or treat". The "treat" is usually some form of candy, although, in some cultures, money is used instead. The "trick" is a usually idle threat to perform mischief on the homeowners or their property if no treat is given. Trick-or-treating usually occurs on the evening of October 31. Some homeowners signal that they are willing to hand out treats by putting up Halloween decorations outside their doors; others simply leave treats available on their porches for the children to take freely.
1_Apprentice
Seems like Pagans have some hand in our holidays even today
0_Wizard
Definitely, there is dispute, though. Some people think that Halloween began solely as a Christian holiday separate from any sort of Pagan background.
Some believe, however, that Halloween began solely as a Christian holiday, separate from ancient festivals like Samhain.
chosen_Halloween_0
Halloween
Halloween or Hallowe'en (a contraction of All Hallows' Evening), also known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve, is a celebration observed in a number of countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows' Day. It begins the three-day observance of Allhallowtide, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed. It is widely believed that many Halloween traditions originated from ancient Celtic harvest festivals, particularly the Gaelic festival Samhain; that such festivals may have had pagan roots; and that Samhain itself was Christianized as Halloween by the early Church.
Geography of Halloween
Halloween, a contraction of All Hallows' Eve, is a celebration observed on 31 October, the day before the feast of All Hallows'. The celebrations and observances of this day occur primarily in regions of the Western world, although some traditions vary significantly between geographical areas. Halloween, also spelled as Hallowe'en or Allhallowe'en, is a contraction of All Hallows' Eve, the eve or vigil before the Western Christian feast of All Hallows (or All Saints) which is observed on 1 November. This day begins the triduum of Hallowtide, which culminates with All Souls' Day. In the Middle Ages, many Christians held a folk belief that All Hallows' Eve was the "night where the veil between the material world and the afterlife was at its most transparent."
Christmas traditions
Christmas traditions vary from country to country. Christmas celebrations for many nations include the installing and lighting of Christmas trees, the hanging of Advent wreaths, Christmas stockings, candy canes, and the creation of Nativity scenes depicting the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas carols may be sung and stories told about such figures as the Baby Jesus, St Nicholas, Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Christkind or Grandfather Frost. The sending and exchange of Christmas card greetings, observance of fasting and special religious observances such as a midnight Mass or Vespers on Christmas Eve, the burning of a Yule log, and the giving and receiving of presents.
Umar Dimayev
Umar Dimayev () (October 1, 1908 – 1972) was a Chechen accordionist and folk musician. His sons, Ali, Valid, and Said, are professional Chechen musicians. Dimayev was born into a family of peasant farmers on October 1, 1908 in Urus-Martan. Despite their relative lack of wealth, the Dimayev family had traditionally been educated in music, as all of Umar's brothers and sisters played the accordion, and Umar would later recall that his younger sister Aruzha would be the one who supported and cultivated his musical abilities. Although their father discouraged Dimayev from playing the accordion, saying it discouraged the development of his son's masculinity, Aruzha gave away her own instrument to Dimayev and taught him how to play the accordion.
Carnival in the Netherlands
Carnival (; also called "vastenavond" – eve of the fasting or ) is a festival held throughout the Netherlands, mainly in the Southern regions, with an emphasis on role-reversal and suspension of social norms. The feast was assimilated by the Catholic Church, taking elements from ancient pagan spring festivals and is celebrated in the three days preceding the Christian holidays of Ash Wednesday and Lent. From an anthropological point of view, Carnaval is a reversal ritual, in which social roles are reversed and norms about desired behavior are suspended. Winter was thought of as the reign of the winter spirits that were to be driven out for the summer to return.
Culture of Ireland
The culture of Ireland includes customs and traditions, language, music, art, literature, folklore, cuisine and sports associated with Ireland and the Irish people. For most of its recorded history, Ireland's culture has been primarily Gaelic (see Gaelic Ireland). It has also been influenced by Anglo-Norman, English and Scottish culture. The Anglo-Normans invaded Ireland in the 12th century, while the 16th/17th century conquest and colonization of Ireland saw the emergence of the Anglo-Irish and Scots-Irish (or Ulster Scots). Today, there are notable cultural differences between those of Catholic and Protestant (especially Ulster Protestant) background, and between travellers and the settled population.
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, it is preceded by the season of Advent or the Nativity Fast and initiates the season of Christmastide, which historically in the West lasts twelve days and culminates on Twelfth Night; in some traditions, Christmastide includes an octave. Christmas Day is a public holiday in many of the world's nations, is celebrated religiously by a majority of Christians, as well as culturally by many non-Christians, and forms an integral part of the holiday season centered around it.
1_Apprentice
But why the costumes and dressing up, to ward off evil spirits?
0_Wizard
That seems like one possibility. Halloween is just one day of the three-day Allhallowtide holiday which involves remembering the dead, so maybe dressing up is a way to remember them? 
It begins the three-day observance of Allhallowtide, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed.
partner_Halloween_1
Halloween
partner_0_Halloween
Halloween
Halloween or Hallowe'en (a contraction of All Hallows' Evening), also known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve, is a celebration observed in a number of countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows' Day. It begins the three-day observance of Allhallowtide, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed. It is widely believed that many Halloween traditions originated from ancient Celtic harvest festivals, particularly the Gaelic festival Samhain; that such festivals may have had pagan roots; and that Samhain itself was Christianized as Halloween by the early Church.
Prospective memory
Prospective memory is a form of memory that involves remembering to perform a planned action or recall a planned intention at some future point in time. Prospective memory tasks are common in daily life and range from the relatively simple to extreme life-or-death situations. Examples of simple tasks include remembering to put the toothpaste cap back on, remembering to reply to an email, or remembering to return a rented movie. Examples of highly important situations include a patient remembering to take medication or a pilot remembering to perform specific safety procedures during a flight. In contrast to prospective memory, retrospective memory involves remembering people, events, or words that have been encountered in the past.
Allhallowtide
Allhallowtide, Hallowtide, Allsaintstide, or the Hallowmas season, is the triduum encompassing the Western Christian observances of All Saints' Eve (Halloween), All Saints' Day (All Hallows') and All Souls' Day, which last from October 31 to November 2 annually. Allhallowtide is a "time to remember the dead, including martyrs, saints, and all faithful departed Christians." The present date of Hallowmas (All Saints' Day) and thus also of its vigil (Hallowe'en) was established for Rome perhaps by Pope Gregory III (731–741) and was made of obligation throughout the Frankish Empire by Louis the Pious in 835.
Halloween costume
Halloween costumes are costumes worn on or around Halloween, a festival which falls on October 31. An early reference to wearing costumes at Halloween comes from Scotland in 1585, but they may pre-date this. There are many references to the custom during the 18th and 19th centuries in the Celtic countries of Scotland, Ireland, Mann and Wales. It has been suggested that the custom comes from the Celtic festivals of Samhain and Calan Gaeaf, or from the practise of "souling" during the Christian observance of Allhallowtide. Wearing costumes and mumming has long been associated with festivals at other times of the year, such as on Christmas.
Geography of Halloween
Halloween, a contraction of All Hallows' Eve, is a celebration observed on 31 October, the day before the feast of All Hallows'. The celebrations and observances of this day occur primarily in regions of the Western world, although some traditions vary significantly between geographical areas. Halloween, also spelled as Hallowe'en or Allhallowe'en, is a contraction of All Hallows' Eve, the eve or vigil before the Western Christian feast of All Hallows (or All Saints) which is observed on 1 November. This day begins the triduum of Hallowtide, which culminates with All Souls' Day. In the Middle Ages, many Christians held a folk belief that All Hallows' Eve was the "night where the veil between the material world and the afterlife was at its most transparent."
Day of the Dead
The Day of the Dead () is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico, in particular the Central and South regions, and by people of Mexican ancestry living in other places, especially the United States. It is acknowledged internationally in many other cultures. The multi-day holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died, and help support their spiritual journey. In 2008, the tradition was inscribed in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. The holiday is sometimes called "Día de los Muertos" in Anglophone countries, a back-translation of its original name, "Día de Muertos".
Christmas traditions
Christmas traditions vary from country to country. Christmas celebrations for many nations include the installing and lighting of Christmas trees, the hanging of Advent wreaths, Christmas stockings, candy canes, and the creation of Nativity scenes depicting the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas carols may be sung and stories told about such figures as the Baby Jesus, St Nicholas, Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Christkind or Grandfather Frost. The sending and exchange of Christmas card greetings, observance of fasting and special religious observances such as a midnight Mass or Vespers on Christmas Eve, the burning of a Yule log, and the giving and receiving of presents.