Beyond the Great Pumpkin: The Roots of Halloween
With Halloween quickly approaching, thoughts of costumes and candy come to mind. What many people don't realize, however, is that there is actually more to this holiday than meets the eye. Don Braxton, professor of religion, takes off the mask, breaks away from the candy corn, and explains the social and religious aspects of this "spooky" holiday.
Question
Where does the word Halloween come from?
Answer
Halloween comes from All Hallow's Eve and is linked to what was called in the Christian calendar All Saints Day or All Soul's Day. It is also called Samhain by neopagans.
Q
What society was the first to celebrate Halloween?
A
It was originally a Celtic holiday, so its roots are Irish. It was celebrated by pre-Christian Europeans and appropriated by missionaries as a Christian holiday.
Q
What is the religious aspect of Halloween?
A
Its ties are to Celtic religion. It was thought to be a time of the year when the fabric between this world and the spirit world was thinnest. Magic performed during this time was especially strong.
Q
How did Halloween get its negative connotation?
A
The association of Halloween with the occult is a case of historical forgetfulness. Evangelical and fundamentalist Christians have only recently invented its negative connotations as they have come to be concerned about its popularity in American popular culture and have taken hard-core stances against non-Christian religious traditions.
Q
Do you think that Halloween has become too big of a commercial holiday rather than a religious event?
A
What does it mean to be too commercial in the American context given the fact that most retail stores are made or broken on the basis of Christmas sales? Religion has always been commercial. Even the least supposedly commercial religious expressions in the United States have huge commercial dimensions - Buddhist websites sell tons of meditation accessories. I drink a Sobe ice tea drink called Zen. I preordered a copy of the "Left Behind" video game recently. And think about the sales figures for the book series.
Money and religion are a match made in heaven.
- Chris Bender '10, Student Reporter