Halloween is a celebration of Christian origin observed in the UK, the US, and many other countries, on October 31. It originated with the Celtic festival of Samhain about 2000 years ago in the Ireland region. The Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead becomes blurred. And, Halloween was the night when ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In the eighth century A.D., Pope Gregory III declared November 1 as a time to honor all saints and soon All Saints Day incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before this Day was known as All Hallows Eve and later on popularized as Halloween. To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires where people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifice to the Celtic deities. During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, mainly to ward off ghosts.
Halloween celebrations was extremely limited in colonial New England because of its rigid Protestant belief system. This festival was much more common in Maryland and southern colonies. As American Indians and Europeans meshed, a distinctly American version of Halloween began to emerge. Colonial Halloween festivities also featured the telling of ghost stories and mischief making of all kinds. The centuries old practice of trick or treating was revived in the fifties, and it was a relatively inexpensive way for an entire community to dare the Halloween celebration. Today Americans spend an estimated $6billion annually on Halloween, making it the country’s second largest commercial holiday after Christmas.
An early reference to wearing costumes at Halloween comes from Scotland in 1585, but they may have started earlier than that.
Halloween costumes were mostly worn by young people and traditionally based on frightening supernatural and folkloric beings.
Today,
Halloween costumes are not only about celebration but also fashion. Just keep in mind a few points and you will be on board. The basic rule is to wear something that you have pieced together yourself and not something that comes readymade from the store. That’s where your expression and creativity lie. Plus, try to comply with the dress code of the party you’re attending. Better not to be vulgar or overly sexy, it’s an occasion to celebrate the dead, after all. And just like with any occasion, dress as per the weather. In case you are unable to come up with anything, you can always look up your favorite icons, be it in fashion, acting or even mythological characters. Whatever you decide to try, do your best. Don’t hold yourself back risking ridicule. It’s okay to dress up how you want, once in a while. For a happy Halloween shopping go to Beverlyheels.com.
