A BRIEF HISTORY OF HALLOWEEN
Our word Halloween is derived from the old words All Hallows Even (All Hallows Evening) because it was the eve of All Hallows Day (I November). Hallow is an old word for saint and today we call 1 November All Saints Day.
The Ancient Celts celebrated the end of Summer and the beginning of Winter with a feast called Samhain at about the same time as Halloween. However there is no evidence of any connection between Celtic customs or Druidic religion and modern Halloween customs! All the evidence suggests that the modern Halloween customs evolved since the 18th century!
All Saints Day or All Hallows Day was created by the church in the 7th century and it was at first in May. Later it was moved to February then finally to 1 November. It is sometimes said that All Saints Day was created to 'Christianise' the old pagan Celtic festival of Samhain but that is obviously a myth.
After the 16th Century Reformation All Saints Day and Halloween were virtually forgotten in most of England, along with most other saints days. However Halloween continued to be observed in Scotland and Ireland. There was a belief that ghosts and witches were particularly active on that day. (I should point out that the Ancient Celts had no concept of Satan and did not believe in witches in the way Christians did).
In the 18th century in Ireland Halloween became a day for playing pranks like blocking doors with carts, removing gates, throwing vegetables at doors and covering chimneys with turf. Note that there is no connection between the playing of pranks at that time and the modern Halloween custom of 'trick or treat'. The pranks and mischief making was done by adults and without knocking on your door to demand a 'treat' and carrying out a 'trick' if you did not give something. There were similar mischief making days in other parts of Britain at different times of the year.
In the mid-19th century Irish and other immigrants took Halloween customs to the USA and by 1900 it was a popular festival (at least with some people!). Playing pranks such as moving farm animals, removing gates etc. were common.
The Irish also hollowed out turnips and put candles in them. (The origin of this custom is not known). In the USA the turnip became a pumpkin.
The custom of children playing trick or treat at Halloween seems to have begun in the USA in the early 20th century although it only became really popular in the mid-20th century.
In the late 20th century the festival of Halloween was revived in Britain with parties becoming popular. The American customs of trick or treat and carving pumpkins at Halloween were imported at that time.