Halloween -

Halloween didn't immediately take hold in colonial America due to rigid Protestant belief systems. However, as different European ethnic groups and American Indians meshed, a distinctly American version began to emerge.

: Before pumpkins were the standard, ancient celebrants carved faces into turnips or other root vegetables to create lanterns that would frighten away evil spirits. Evolution into "All Hallows' Eve" halloween

: On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, believing ghosts of the dead returned to earth. They lit huge bonfires and wore costumes, often consisting of animal heads and skins, to ward off roaming spirits. Halloween didn't immediately take hold in colonial America

In 1000 A.D., the church made November 2 , a day to honor the dead. Evolution into "All Hallows' Eve" : On the

The name "Halloween" is a contraction of . By the 9th century, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands, where it eventually blended with older pagan rites.

The Celts, who lived in what is now Ireland, the UK, 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 dark, cold winter—a time often associated with human death.