What if you could be anything? You could be a super hero, or a cartoon character. You could be some slasher monster, or an ATM. While Halloween seems like a pretty modern holiday, it traces back to ancient traditions.
Specifically, the Celtic fall celebration, Samhain. The Celts believed that the day summer turned to fall, the veil between this world and the world of the spirits would thin, allowing for supernatural mischief. To protect themselves, people would dress up in animal skins or masks in an attempt to blend in with the spirits.
In the 11th century Christianity placed a holiday on October 31st in an attempt to change pagan traditions to fit its ideals. They called the day All Hallows Eve, this is the origin of the term Halloween. Even with the changes, the pagan influence stuck. In medieval England and Ireland people would wear costumes resembling the souls of the dead and would go from house to house on the spirits behalf and collect soul cakes. They called this practice souling. In the late 15th century, people would personify demons or spirits and do something called mumming. This is where they would go from house to house reciting verses and singing, in exchange they would be given food. This is the framework for the term trick or treat, do a trick to receive a treat.
Halloween came to the US with Irish and Scottish immigrants in the 18th century. It became quite popular quite quickly. People enjoyed the dark nature of the holiday and the anonymity of the costumes. People would use whatever they had at home such as sheets or makeup.
By the 1920s and 30s annual parades, the holiday became commercialized more, and both adults and kids got in on the fun. This was also when pop culture began to affect costumes. For example, the J. Halpern Company, otherwise known as Halco, licensed images for popular characters, like Popeye, Mickey Mouse, and Little Orphan Annie. Other popular costumes featured people viewed as strange or separated from society such as pirates, “gypsies,” and homeless people.
The 1940s featured a decline in celebration of the holiday. It was seen as a night of chaos by adults and officials, who tried to remake it as Conservation day, though the young people continued to celebrate Halloween.
In the 1960s a manufacturing company called Ben Cooper brought it back and turned it into a pop culture phenomenon and owned a monopoly on the Halloween costume market. This also marked the return of adults to the fun. The 70s and 80s had both light costumes from pop culture like Star Wars or Indiana Jones and scary costumes inspired by the gory horror films of the time.
Mr. Fassbender was a kid during this time. He said he has celebrated Halloween many times and has worn costumes “Both as an adult and as a child.” In 1977, when he was about four, Mr. Fassbender and his mom “…made a really elaborate scarecrow costume.” He also said that “I didn’t like Halloween as a kid.” That changed, though, and in 1981 he “…dressed as a [U.S] soldier.” Nowadays, Mr. Fassbender doesn’t wear as many costumes but he and his family decorate their house to celebrate the fall spirit!
Similar to Mr. Fassbender Jack Homuth, a sophomore at LHS, has worn homemade costumes for a long time, for example in 2018, when he was in 3rd grade, he said, “I was wearing a homemade Iron Man costume that me and my dad had made, I remember it wasn’t complete or lasted very long but it was fun while it lasted” and he continued to wear costumes inspired by pop culture. He mentioned that, “In 6th grade I was a stormtrooper from Star Wars, and I think it was one of my favorite I’ve ever worn.” He still dresses up today and is planning on going trick or treating with another classmate as a knight.
Today, costumes come from a variety of places, from pop culture like Harley Quinn to horror like Pennywise. From ghouls, goblins, vampires and other general spooky creatures, to costumes inspired by common phrases. Halloween is a fun night to indulge in (legal) fun, and pretend to be whatever you want. Maybe this year you’ll dress like the Celts, or fashion a costume from a sheet. Have fun!