Diversity Digest is a weekly reflection written by staff from different areas of our school

Halloween is celebrated each year on 31st October and is known today for costumes, carved pumpkins, spooky decorations and trick-or-treating. However, its origins go back more than 2,000 years.

Halloween is often linked to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced roughly “sow-in”), celebrated in Ireland, Britain and other Celtic regions. Samhain marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. People believed that at this time of year the boundary between the living and the spirit world was especially thin. Fires, gatherings and rituals formed part of the celebrations.

Later, Christian traditions became connected with these older customs. 1 November became All Saints’ Day, also known as All Hallows’ Day. The evening before was called All Hallows’ Eve, which eventually became shortened to Halloween.

Over many centuries, Halloween traditions travelled and changed. Today, Halloween combines ancient seasonal traditions, folklore and modern celebrations, creating the playful mixture of spookiness, imagination and community fun that many people enjoy today.