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It was also believed that because of the year’s changing, the veil between the living and the dead was at it’s thinnest (thinner closer to midnight) so that the dead of the last year were able to visit one last time, and the living could gaze into the future. One was would have obtained the most accurate readings in the tarot, tea leaves, etc.

The name Halloween was created by Christianity. As it was viewed by the church to be ‘evil’ to see the future, or try to do so, they allowed it only as a feast to the dead. Within the church, the only dead permitted to be celebrated were those hallowed (made holy) through doing ‘God’s’ work. All of the scary bits have either been mis-translated or made up by the church to terrify non-believers to come to the church.

Various traditions still have those pagan roots
~candles symbolize torches lit to light the way back for deceased loved ones
~Jack-O-Lanterns were carried by travelers – light for their walk, and the scary face to frighten away the looming spirits that may be malicious.
~other things have developed through the years out of improper translations, like the image of the witch. Check out the second link below, another yahoo answer-er posted it in his response.
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http://wiccaweb.com/samhain.php

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080911163220AANaYSg

Ok when somebody died in Mexico they would have a little festival sad thing called Halloween and they… bury the dead person and make Bread with bones on it. and over the years people changed it to make it more fun for children. They gave out candy to children who came past their house and now they wear costumes and say trick or treat at peoples doors at night. At that time of the month if you look up at the sky you will more stars than usual unless it is cloudy.

This is true!
Last year in Social Studies i learned this! I am only 11
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School

All Saints Day is an ancient Christians festival (over 1000 years old) which was inaugurated by one of the popes when he dedicated a church to the memory of all the Saints (holy people who had died) who did not have their own feast. It became very popular and was celebrated all over Europe as a way of remembering all holy people, even, in some countries, all your ancestors.

As the festival spread, lots of customs grew up around it. There would be processions the night before with people dressed as the Saints – and others dressed up a mock demons or devils to tempt them – unsuccessfully of course. The devils would also play tricks on people, but lights would keep them away and also welcome the saints.

Protestants rejected all the old Catholic customs and that is the source of the myths about devil worship – they are straightforward anti-catholic.

There is, despite a load of nonsense on the internet, NO evidence of any link to any Pagan festival, there is NO evidence of any Celtic day of the dead, NO evidence that Samhain (Irish for November) was the celtic New Year, NO evidence that a feast was held on Oct 31st. In any case, All Saints was started in the 9th century by which time Ireland had been Christian for over 300 years.

It is certainly true that most people in the US and UK (due to their largely protestant roots) have forgotten why they are celebrating and have invented all sorts of spurious reasons. In Catholic countries you will find it rather different.

PS The history channel stuff about Halloween is total bunkum.
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It originally started in Mexico as "All Hallows Eve". They believed it was the day the spirits come back from the dead.

GOD BLESS,

JMB

VISIT MY WEB AT http://WWW.MEBOWLINGJMB.BLOGSPOT.COM
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