American History Hit American Origins of Halloween
Oct 30, 2025
Dr. Kelly Fitzgerald, Head of the School of Irish, Celtic Studies and Folklore at University College Dublin, dives into Halloween's fascinating origins. She explains how the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain transformed as it traveled to America. Key topics include the community aspects of harvest gatherings, the intertwining of autumn and the supernatural, and how Christian practices reshaped these pagan traditions. Dr. Fitzgerald also explores the darker imagery of Halloween influenced by Victorian literature and the commercialization of costumes and candy.
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A Middle-Manager Costume Memory
- Don Wildman recounts his best costume as a 1990s middle manager with a gray suit and nameplate.
- The story illustrates Halloween's playful identity transformation in modern culture.
Samhain As The Agrarian Year Marker
- Samhain marked the transition from the light half to the dark half of the year in an agrarian calendar.
- The festival tied agricultural timing to social gatherings and survival rituals for communities.
Christian Reframing Of Seasonal Festivals
- Early Christians repurposed pre-existing seasonal festivals by assigning liturgical days like All Saints and All Souls.
- The church layered sacred dates over old customs to ease conversion and keep familiar calendar rhythms.
