Halloween's origins date back 2000 years to Samhain, a Celtic festival marking the New Year and the harvest’s end. Celts believed that on October 31, the boundary between worlds was thin, allowing spirits to cross. They wore costumes to confuse spirits and honor the dead.

The Romans, who conquered the Celts in 43 AD, infused their traditions into Samhain celebrations. Bobbing for apples originated from Roman festivals like Pomona, held around November 1.

In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III shifted All Saints' Day from May 13 to November 1, and October 31 became All Hallows Eve. The term Halloween derives from All Hallow's Eve.

In 16th-century Ireland, people celebrated Halloween by singing and collecting cakes in costumes. Later, turnips were carved into lanterns to ward off spirits. Irish and Scottish immigrants brought this practice to North America, where pumpkins replaced turnips, giving rise to the Jack o' Lantern legend involving Stingy Jack, a soul wandering with a lantern.

Learn more about Halloween in our Origins of Halloween resource, including worksheets, a poster and activities.