halloween free essay

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Essays on Halloween

Spooky season is the best season, and you can use your Halloween essay as an opportunity to delve deeper into the origins and traditions of this boo-tiful holiday. Halloween also referred to as All Hallows' Eve, is a holiday that originated in Ireland, where it was called Samhain. Some Halloween essays concentrate primarily on the Celtic origins of this holiday, while other essays on Halloween explore modern-day practices and traditions. Halloween is celebrated annually on October 31. It was believed that on this day evil spirits roamed free, so people were putting on costumes to trick the spirits into leaving people alone. Nowadays Halloween is celebrated by dressing up in costumes, trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, and eating candy. Use Halloween essay samples below to gather more information about Halloween for your essays. We compiled only the best essay samples for you to check out!

Harry Potter: A Story of Marginalization and Hope Because of their universality and magic, the Harry Potter series and stories are exceptional. It revolves around an outcast young boy. Harry Potter is a young kid. Outcasts have been viewed as a relegated and undesirably typecast community throughout history. The story depicts...

Cosplay is seen differently by many people; for others, it is a way of life, and for others, it is a sport. If you have engaged in cosplay or not, it has become common in today's culture. Labor and a significant amount of time are expended in creating these costumes...

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In a small remote town in Chicago Illinois There is an old legend that has been passed from one technology to another. The story is narrated to kids by their parents at night time to scare them during Halloween so that they do not wander far away from their homes. The Actual...

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Essays on Halloween

Halloween Essay Examples

We have 10 free papers on halloween for you, essay examples, essay topics, the history and origins of halloween.

Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the…

The Roots of the Halloween

Halloween’s roots can date back more than 2,000 years ago when the Celts participated in their holiday called “Samhain.” The basis of the holiday was to celebrate the upcoming months of darkness, when deceased loved ones would come back and greet the living. Unfortunately, when opening the gates to the mortal world, other entities would…

An Analysis of Halloween as Looming and Blair

Halloween is looming and Blair, my four year old great-niece, has been talking about it for weeks. She told me, confidentially, quietly whispering in my ear, that this year shes going as Cinderella. Im sure I frowned upon hearing the news. I was hoping for Xena, Warrior Princess or Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But no,…

Americans Should Abolish Halloween as a Traditional Holiday

American Culture

Every year when the fall season comes around, Halloween does too. People prepare for the festivities by decorating their homes with spooky, haunting decorations. Everyone that participates wears costumes of all sorts. Some costumes are fun, scary, or just ridiculously unique. I question Halloween as a holiday. It serves no extraordinary purpose. It also contradicts…

Argumentative Essay About Halloween

Have you ever wondered about the origins of children in costumes roaming door-to-door for treats, or why we carve pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns? The word “HALLOWEEN Essay” actually comes from the Celtic language of Ireland. It comes from a contraction of “All Hallow’s Eve”, the evening before All Saint’s Day, November 1, which is celebrated in…

Halloween: Origins, Meaning & Traditions

The Celtic people of Ireland celebrated a festival called Samhain, which means the end of summer. During this time crops were harvested and animals were slaughtered to prepare for the long, cold winter. The Celtics belived that the worlds between the dead and the living could communicate because the air was the thinnest during this…

Halloween Storm Essay (685 words)

Halloween Storm Essay 1991The Storms beginningIt was Halloween Eve 1991, the weather was crisp and pleasant in western Massachusetts and New England. However, it was not the children that would be playing tricks on the people of this region, it was instead nature. The day before a storm of surprising intensity hadbrought waves of 25…

Halloween: A Groundbreaking Film Essay

Halloween: A Groundbreaking Film Essay Halloween was, and still is, a classic horror movie for three simple reasons: originality, flattery, and durability. Upon its release in 1978, Halloween set a new standard for horror movies, proving that it was possible to create genuine chills without excessive amounts of blood, overpaid actors, or a gigantic budget….

Spanish-English Halloween Story Essay

On the eve of All Saints’ Day, a young boy went to a casa de los fantasmas. Outside, there were esqueletos hanging on the walls. He was wearing glow-in-the-dark mascara, carrying a calavera in one hand, and a saco in the other. His disfraz masked his miedo. He only wished he had carried a linterna…

Halloween Essay

Halloween is the best holiday of the year, and should be more actively worshipped than all the rest of the holidays. This is because Halloween relieves people form the stress of everyday life, Halloween was originally a Wiccan holiday, and because on Halloween the television stations play all the good horror movies. Halloween is the…

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Like Christmas, New Year’s Day, Ramadan, or Yom Kippur, Halloween is celebrated almost in every country, even if the celebration implies only external attributes, such as pumpkins, costumes, and children asking for candy. Though the initial meaning of Halloween had much to do with occult powers, spirits, and protection against evil forces, today it is more of a merry holiday, a little bit spooky, but still enjoyed both by adults and children. So, what are the origins of Halloween?

Historically, the word Halloween is a contraction of the phrase “All Hallows Even,” which meant the day before All Hallows Day (more known as All Saints’ Day) (About.com). It was a Catholic holiday dedicated to the commemoration of saints and martyrs for faith; today, though, we know it more as a holiday of trick-or-treating, scary costumes, and funny pranks. Gradually, Halloween has lost its religious connotations, and has turned into a holiday gladly celebrated by youth and adults across the western world on October 31.

Though it is considered that Halloween has its origins in the early Middle Ages, some scientists think it is even more ancient. Peter Tokofsky, an assistant professor in the department of folklore and mythology of UCLA, believes Halloween as we know it today arose from the Celtic festival Samhain (Albany.edu). Samhain was demarcating the end of summer; on this day, souls of the dead were believed to be penetrating the real world. This was also the Celtic New Year, and druids used to celebrate it with a great fire festival, to ‘support’ the dimming Sun and not to let it vanish.

It was believed during Samhain that the living were entertaining the dead; on that night, spirits were looking for a body to possess for the entire incoming year. To avoid such a destiny, people would dress up like evil spirits themselves; scary masks or masks of animals were used to mimic these spirits and deceive them, thus avoiding being possessed. Most likely, this rite has given the start to the modern tradition to wear costumes of ghosts and witches on Halloween.

Later, Samhain was influenced by Roman and Christian cultures after Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor all saints and martyrs (History.com). Halloween gradually started to gain its modern features and characteristics. Though Halloween today is seen more as an American holiday, it was transported to North America by Irish immigrants in the middle 1800s (About.com). There it became, to a significant extent, commercialized and popularized, and its religious background has been almost forgotten; at the same time, back on the lands where Samhain originated, even in 19th century, people were afraid to walk outside after nightfall.

Along with Christmas, the New Year’s Day, and other grand holidays, Halloween is one of the most ancient and mysterious festivals, which has its origins in long forgotten pagan beliefs and rituals. As it happened to the majority of these holidays, Halloween’s religious connotations are today known by few; nowadays, it is celebrated more for fun. But, despite this, an attentive and curious researcher will easily trace the spirit of hoary rites and customs in modern trick-or-treating, cosplay, and symbols.

Emery, David. “A Quick Guide to the Origin & History of Halloween.” About.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2013. <http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/halloween/a/History-Of-Halloween.htm>

“The Origins of Halloween.” Albany.edu. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2013. <http://www.albany.edu/~dp1252/isp523/halloween.html>

“Halloween.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2013. <http://www.history.com/topics/halloween>

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Halloween Essay: How to Write, Topics and Essay Ideas

So, there are a few days left before Halloween, one of the favorite American holidays both for kids and adults. Most probably, your teacher will ask to prepare a Halloween essay. And most probably, it is not the first Halloween essay that you need to prepare.

Our specialists will write a custom essay specially for you!

We are sure that right now your head is busy with ideas for a Halloween party, your costume, some tricks, and so on. You absolutely do not feel like writing your Halloween essay, although the topic is fascinating.

Yet, even really amazing topics should be properly covered. Let Custom-writing.org offer you several ways of completing your Halloween essay, which will not take too much time and efforts.

🔝 Top 10 Halloween Essay Ideas

• Your favorite Halloween specials 
• What traditions define Halloween? 
• What makes trick-or-treating dangerous? 
• Why are apples associated with Halloween? 
• How does Halloween impact the economy? 
• Different Halloween customs around the world 
• The difference between Samhain and Halloween 
• The effect of media in the popularization of Halloween 
• How has the Halloween celebration evolved over time? 
• How has religion contributed to Halloween’s development? 

Writing Halloween Essays: Way #1

Imagine that you have a friend who lives in a country where Halloween is not popular, and you have to tell him/her about the holiday. You can use general facts, your knowledge, and experience to complete the Halloween essay in this way.

Here are some points to include into your Halloween essay for a foreign friend:

• Say a few words about the origins of Halloween;
• Talk about the tradition of carving pumpkins. Add a couple of pictures.
• Tell how people celebrate Halloween . Give details on how people decorate their houses and yards, how they choose costumes, how kids do trick-or-treating, how Halloween parties are organized.

Writing Halloween Essays: Way #2

Another easy and exciting way to prepare a Halloween essay is to make up a scary story. Think about a good idea for your story involving ghosts, witches, dead men. Mind that descriptions, vivid details will make your Halloween essay more impressive.

Just in 1 hour! We will write you a plagiarism-free paper in hardly more than 1 hour

Your Halloween essay can also be based on your personal experience (sure, you can make up some details). It can be something like “Last Halloween, I and two other guys decided to visit that old, abandoned house that was believed to be haunted. As it turned out, ghosts were there!”

Our tips for writing remembered event essays and a narration essay might be useful.

Learn more on this topic:

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• Americanism Essay Writing: How-to Guide, Tips, Topics
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i really needed this and i have a presentation in a few days and i really needed a speech for my project thanks!!

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Everybody loves HALLOWEEN and your article is really good one 😀

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Thanks so much for interesting ideas for my Halloween essay. Though it is too early to write about Halloween, but this is my favorite holiday, and I can’t but dedicate my paper to it! Good luck!

When I was given to write an essay about my favorite holiday, I chose Halloween. In your article on writing Halloween essays, I found lots of fascinating ideas for my paper. Thanks for them very much!

Essay on Halloween Festival

Students are often asked to write an essay on Halloween Festival in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Halloween Festival

Introduction.

Halloween is a popular festival celebrated on October 31st. Its roots trace back to ancient Celtic traditions, marking the end of harvest season.

Significance

Halloween is believed to be the time when the boundary between the living and the dead blurs. It’s a time to remember and honor the deceased.

People celebrate Halloween by dressing in costumes, carving pumpkins, and trick-or-treating. Children go door-to-door asking for treats.

Halloween is a unique festival that cherishes the mystical and the fun. It brings communities together through shared traditions and celebrations.

250 Words Essay on Halloween Festival

Origins of halloween.

The Halloween festival, celebrated on October 31st, traces its roots back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, symbolizing the end of harvest season and the onset of winter. This day was believed to blur the boundaries between the living and the dead, allowing spirits to roam the earth.

Evolution of Traditions

As Christianity spread, Samhain was morphed into All Hallows’ Eve, the night before All Saints’ Day. The transformation included the adoption of new customs such as soul-caking, where the poor would receive food in return for prayers for the dead. Over time, this practice evolved into trick-or-treating, a popular Halloween tradition today.

Halloween in Contemporary Society

Modern Halloween celebrations are a blend of these ancient rituals and commercial influences. Costumes, once worn to ward off evil spirits, now serve as a medium for self-expression and entertainment. Jack-o’-lanterns, originally carved from turnips in Ireland, are a popular symbol, with pumpkins now commonly used in North America.

Cultural Significance

Halloween provides a unique cultural lens, reflecting societal changes and influences over centuries. It serves as a testament to the power of tradition and the enduring human fascination with the supernatural. Moreover, it underscores the importance of community and shared experiences, as seen in communal activities such as trick-or-treating and costume parties.

In conclusion, Halloween is more than just a night of costumes and candy. It’s a historical and cultural phenomenon that continues to evolve, offering insights into our past and present, and perhaps, our future.

500 Words Essay on Halloween Festival

Introduction to halloween.

Halloween, also known as All Hallows’ Eve, is a festival celebrated annually on the 31st of October. Its roots are traced back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the end of the harvest season and the onset of winter. The Celts believed that on this night, the boundary between the living and the dead was blurred, allowing spirits to roam the earth. Today, Halloween has evolved into a day of activities like trick-or-treating, carving jack-o’-lanterns, festive gatherings, and wearing costumes.

Cultural Significance and Evolution

The cultural significance of Halloween is manifold. In its earliest form, it was a pagan practice intended to ward off harmful spirits. With the spread of Christianity, it was integrated into Christian traditions as a day to honor saints (All Saints’ Day). Over time, Halloween has shifted from a solemn religious ritual to a more community-centric celebration.

The evolution of Halloween is also a testament to cultural exchange and adaptation. Immigrants, particularly those from Ireland and Scotland, brought Halloween to North America in the 19th century. It gradually gained popularity and morphed into a community-centered holiday, characterized by child-friendly activities such as trick-or-treating. By the 20th century, Halloween had become commercialized and secular, with traditions like costume parties and themed decorations becoming commonplace.

Symbolism and Iconography

Halloween’s iconography is rich and varied, drawing from its historical roots and contemporary practices. The jack-o’-lantern, a carved pumpkin with a lit candle inside, is one of the most recognizable symbols of Halloween. It originates from an Irish myth about a man named Stingy Jack who tricked the devil and was denied entry to both heaven and hell, forced to wander the earth with only a carved turnip to light his way.

Costumes, another integral part of Halloween, offer a form of self-expression and escapism. They range from traditional horror figures like witches, ghosts, and vampires, to pop culture characters, reflecting societal changes and trends. The act of dressing up is a form of performative play, allowing individuals to explore different identities and roles.

Halloween in Modern Society

In modern society, Halloween serves as a conduit for community bonding and entertainment. It provides a socially sanctioned space for people to engage in playful behavior, often breaking away from their routine lives. It also offers an opportunity for creativity and imagination, as seen in the elaborate costumes, house decorations, and themed foods.

However, Halloween is not without controversy. Some criticize its commercialization, arguing that it detracts from the festival’s historical and cultural roots. Others express concern about safety issues related to trick-or-treating and the consumption of excessive amounts of candy.

In essence, Halloween is a complex festival that has evolved significantly over time. It encapsulates a fascinating blend of history, culture, and tradition, offering a unique lens through which to view societal changes. Despite its controversies, Halloween remains a cherished celebration, bringing communities together in a spirit of fun and creativity. As we move forward, it will be interesting to see how this dynamic festival continues to evolve and adapt.

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Halloween, Its History and Celebration

There are quite a number of holidays in the world, each having different reasons for being observed, different degrees of significance, and different levels of popularity, depending on where one is located.

Among the holidays, I am most fascinated with that which features a pumpkin lantern, scary costumes and decorations, and kids shouting “trick or treat” to their neighbors at dusk. I am talking about Halloween.

I find Halloween the most interesting among all the world holidays, mainly because it is foreign to me. I want to find out its history: how it came to be, where it originated, and how it became such a popular tradition practiced in many parts of the world. I also want to know the basic tenets surrounding its popularity and practice.

Commonly observed on the eve of October 31, Halloween is a holiday for remembering and honoring the dead. It is closely linked to All Souls’ Day (also called Hallowmas or All Hallows Days) and All Saint’ Day, which are both considered holy days in the Roman Catholic Church.

All Saints’ Day was established in the 9 th Century to honor the saints of the Christian church, whereas All Souls’ Day was established a century later to help purify the spirits of the dead. Both celebrations are said to have pagan origins (Santino, 1994a; Santino, 1994b; Lanford, n.d.).

Halloween is a very old tradition. Its origins date back from many thousand years ago. And how it is currently being celebrated is very far removed from how it used to be practiced, mainly because many cultures have added ‘flavor’ to it through the centuries. Halloween originated from the Celts.

The Celts, like many other pagans, worshipped nature. They had many gods, their favorite being the sun. They believed that the sun was the one responsible for the beautiful earth and everything that grew on it. (Landford, n.d.; Santino, 1994b).

According to Lanford, the Celts “marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter by celebrating a holiday in late autumn” (Lanford, n.d.). Among the holidays celebrated by the Celts is the Samhain, which heavily influenced later Halloween celebrations.

Samhain was celebrated on the eve of October 31 until the following day, November 1. The Celts believed that on the eve of Samhain, the spirits of the departed roamed the earth. As such, they offered food and drink to ward the spirits off. They also performed rituals at sacred hilltops, where they offered human and animal sacrifices.

However, when the Celtic lands were conquered by the Roman Empire by the end of the first century A.D., the Romans adopted some of the traditions of the Celts, thus creating a mixture of Celtic and Catholic religious observances.

In Britain, which used to be a part of Celtic lands, the Romans had incorporated some Samhain customs into their own pagan harvest festival, which honors Pomona, goddess of fruit trees, to make it easier for the Romans to conquer the Celts (Landford, n.d.) completely.

In areas that were not completely conquered by the Romans, like Ireland and Scotland, however, pure Celtic influences stayed on much longer. In these areas, the Samhain custom was abandoned only during the earlier part of the Middle Ages, when the locals converted to Christianity.

One of the strategies employed by the Roman Catholic Church to win over the loyalty of the converts was incorporating some customs of the conquered lands into its religious traditions. One example of this is Halloween.

In 835 AD, Pope Gregory IV replaced Samhain with All Saints’ Day. All Souls’ Day, closer in spirit to Samhain and modern Halloween, was first instituted at a French monastery in 998 and quickly spread throughout Europe.

Folk observances linked to these Christian holidays, including Halloween, thus preserved many of the ancient Celtic customs associated with Samhain (Santino, 1994a; Santino 1994b; Lanford, n.d.).

There are traditions observed during Halloweens that are believed to have no basis in Christianity. This is mainly because some of these traditions are influences of other religions and beliefs, specifically those of the Celtic tribes.

One example of this is the jack-o’-lantern, which originated from Scotland during the Medieval period. But instead of the carved up pumpkin which are used in present-day Halloween celebrations, the earlier jack-o’-lanterns were turnips.

Present Halloween festivities feature folk beliefs that have to do with death and the supernatural. Decorations during the holiday include imagery on death, like cobwebs, human skeletons, and skulls, and costumes based on supernatural beliefs, stories, and traditions, like those Dracula, White Lady, witches, werewolves, vampires, ghosts, and so on.

Even natural objects that are believed to bring bad omen, like spiders, black cats, and bats, are also featured during Halloween celebrations as either decorations or costumes. But the most celebrated of all the Halloween decorations is the jack-o’-lantern.

The jack-o’-lantern is a pumpkin that was hollowed-out and then carved to resemble a monstrous face. Inside it is a candle or a bulb, illuminating it. The jack-o’-lantern is based on British tales, which say that the soul of a dead person named Jack O’Lantern was barred from both heaven and hell and was thus condemned to roam the earth aimlessly with his lantern.

As previously mentioned, the traditional jack-o-lantern used to be carved from turnip, potato, or beet. But the turnips were not readily available in America, so the pumpkin was used as a replacement. Placed on windows, the lanterns represent the souls of the departed loved ones and served as a protection against bad spirits (Landford, n.d.; Barth, 1972)

An interesting feature of Halloween celebrations is trick or treat where children dressed as a witch, a vampire, a ghost, or any other supernatural character go from house to house to solicit candies or treats from the house owners in their neighborhood.

The children greet every house owner with the cry, “Trick or Treat.” The greeting suggests that the house owner should present them with a treat. Otherwise, some form of a prank will be committed against them.

Although ‘Trick or Treat’ still widely practiced in many Christian nations, its practice has declined to begin in the 1970s. This may be largely due to studies suggesting the negative effect of junks, like candies, on children’s health.

Moreover, many parents are now concerned about their children still going around their neighborhood after dark. What many parents do now is to accompany their children in their Trick or Treat, or have their children accompanied by a responsible adult.

Another feature of Halloween celebration is a custom party, either for kids or for adults, or both. Traditional costumes as well as costumes inspired by pop cultures, such as movie characters, and even politicians are used.

For such parties, adults often use costumes with “satirical or humorous overtones” (Lanford, n.d.; Barth, 1972). In most costume parties, best in costume contests are usually held, where the hosts or chosen judges choose among the guests the one who is wearing the best costume.

At present, Halloween is already a popular holiday, especially in Christian nations, although there was some resistance from some Christian sects, like the English Puritans who rejected the celebration of Halloween on the basis that it is a Catholic and pagan tradition. The Puritans are members of a strict Protestant sect (Lanford, n.d.; Santino, 1994b).

Despite the resistance from the Puritans, however, Halloween spread in many Christian countries in the world. Its spread was primarily ensured by the spread of Catholicism. In the United States, British colonists transplanted the observance of Halloween in Virginia and Maryland. Moreover, in the mid 19 th Century, Irish who came into the United States as immigrants likewise helped popularize Halloween throughout the United States (Lanford, n.d.).

According to Lanford, young people in the 19th and early 20th centuries tended to observe Halloween by “perpetrating minor acts of vandalism, such as overturning sheds or breaking windows” (Lanford, n.d).

The ritual of trick or tricking started sometime in the beginning of the 1930s when Halloween mischief was slowly transformed from merely perpetuating vandalistic acts, to trick or tricking in the neighborhood.

As time passed by, Halloween treats became more plentiful as the number of tricks decreased. It is believed that the trick or treat was introduced to lessen the pranks and destruction that typically accompanied the Halloween celebrations (Santino, 1994a; Santino 1994b).

In some areas, however, pranks still survived. A day before Halloween, there is such an event called Mischief Night in some areas of the United States, where vandalism sometimes got out of hand. Landford (n.d.) shares: “in Detroit, Michigan, Mischief Night — known there as Devil’s Night —provided the occasion for waves of arson that sometimes destroyed whole city blocks during the 1970s and 1980s.”

Beginning in the 1970s, Halloween has become increasingly popular. Adult celebrations of this occasion feature elaborate satirical costumes, boisterous festivities, and drunken revelry while the costume-donning kids go house to house, treat-or-tricking their neighbors, happy with the candies that they get.

At present, Halloween is one of the most celebrated Holidays in the world, with both the young ones and the adults taking part in the festivities. It is also among the most commercialized. During Halloween, costumes, masks, and decors dominate the malls and commercial centers. Restaurants and event venues also have a heyday during the celebrations. Indeed, Halloween is such a fascinating holiday.

Bibliography

Barth, Edna. (1972). Witches, Pumpkins, and Grinning Ghosts. New York: Seaburry Press.

Landford, Brent. (n.d.) “Halloween.” MSN Encarta.

Santino, Jack. (1994a). All Around the Year: Holidays and Celebrations in American Life. University of Illiois Press.

Santino, Jack. (1994b). Halloween and Other Festivals of Death and Life. Knoxville. University of Tennessee Press.

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