Halloween in the United States

Halloween is one of the few American holidays which are not inherently family-related. Unlike Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, Father’s Day, and Mother’s Day, Halloween is celebrated in the United States with parties among friends. Some of the telltale signs that it is going to be Halloween soon are jack-o-lanterns, costumed people trick or treating, and houses decorated with spider webs, skeletons, and other such adornments.

History of Halloween

With the history of Halloween finding its way back hundreds of years ago to the end of summer festivals in Ireland, there is a bit of history associated with the holiday. The name “Halloween” first appeared in 16th century Scottish literature. Recollections of events associated with modern day Halloween, like dressing up in costumes or playing pranks, are found in the 17th century history books.

Modern Day Halloween Celebrations in the United States

Halloween is its own very popular holiday in the USA, and there is a strong industry to support this. In most strip malls around the US, shops dedicated to selling Halloween supplies typically open in the first week of October with a full inventory ready for sale. As Halloween approaches on October 31, the store begins to sell more and more items, ranging from costumes to make-up to fake teeth and other such things. After Halloween, the store must sell off its entire extra inventory or put it into storage and sell it next year. Since the theme of Halloween celebrations typically does not change from year to year, stores are able to hold on to unsold products and just sell them again the next year.

One of the reasons why Halloween is a popular holiday is that it is fun and does not have any inherent obligations. Many Americans have started to resent certain holidays, even Christmas, because of the obligation to give gifts and see certain people. The crowds of people associated with the holiday season along with the expensive price of transportation around this time can lead to a very stressful holiday season. On the other hand, Halloween does not have any of these negative aspects. There is no increase in the price of air fare for a flight on October 31. There are no extra crowds in the malls and on the streets, except for on Halloween night itself. There are no gifts to be given, and no expectations to fulfill. Instead, most Americans just want to have a good time doing something silly – dressing up as something of someone very strange.

Popular Halloween Costumes

The most important aspect of this holiday is the fact that those who celebrate October 31 wear a costume. This costume can be handmade or can be bought from the store. While store bought costumes are usually more accurate as far as copying the person or thing which is trying to be mimicked, handmade costumes often get much respect and interest from fellow Halloween observers. Some of the most popular costumes for Halloween include the following:
For men:

• Pirate
• Superhero
• Politician
• Cartoon character
• Cowboy
• Prisoner
• No costume at all

For women:

• Devil
• Nurse
• Celebrity
• Cat
• Anything sexy

One can generally divide Halloween observers into two groups. The first one dresses up in a very unique outfit which often draws attention to itself for being cool. On the other hand, there is another group of people who dress up for Halloween who see it as a chance to wear something sexy. There have been countless observations of this fact in media and in real life.

Common Traditions of Halloween

Along with the wearing of costumes, there are many other traditions which accompany Halloween. They include the following:

• Carving pumpkins. Typically a large, round, orange pumpkin is chosen and hewn out, with one side being a face. A small candle is placed inside the jack-o-lantern in order to illuminate the outline of the face.
• Bobbing for apples. This is a very traditional activity and is not often used in modern day American Halloween celebrations. It is a good family party activity, but do not expect teenagers or students to be partaking.
• Watching horror films. Anything from the classic Frankenstein film to contemporary horror flicks, watching movies with themes connected with Halloween is certainly a popular way to observe this holiday.
• Visiting a haunted house. Of course visiting a house that is actually possessed by ghosts or spirits is not on anyone’s to do list for Halloween. However, the Halloween industry has produced thousands of attractions of this variety. Usually, people pay money to enter a building which has been rigged with props and actors who surprise and scare the visitors as they walk through the haunted house.

Religious Implications

While some modern day observers see deep spiritual connections with the day, the history books do not seem to support this viewpoint. Most of those who celebrated the holiday in the 16th and 17th centuries were very religious anyhow and took note of the normal religious implications inherent in most festivals of this time period. For instance, the tradition of carving pumpkins in the United States dates back to people in Ireland and Scotland who carved turnips. This was done in order to remember the souls who were stuck in purgatory, a place between Heaven and Hell.

Modern day Halloween observers have made much stronger spiritual and religious connections with the holiday, creating a very polarized situation. Many fundamental Christians have created their own festivals on Halloween to encourage others to forgo the contemporary version of Halloween. Others have created “hell houses” which attempt to show the horrors associated with an afterlife of pain and suffering. On the other side, some groups who align themselves with the occult or devil worship hold special ceremonies on Halloween as a day of extreme respect for the dark spirits which they believe traverse the planet.

Have Fun!

The most important aspect of Halloween is to have fun. Dressing up in a crazy outfit, going to a haunted house with friends, or staying home and answering the doorbell for trick or treaters will all result in an enjoyable October 31st.

Easy Pumpkin Painting Guide A must for Halloween, this Step-By-Step Guide offers instruction and photos for painting cute, whimsical faces on pumpkins.