Have you ever wondered where Halloween came from or who thought of the idea to create holiday where kids would dress up and knock on their neighbors doors and receive candy?
         Halloween costumes and masks originate from hiding your attendance at a pagan festivals and word off spirits. Costumes and masks might also be used to absorb the power of the animal being worn in pagan times.
         History teacher Carrie Steele said she has a favorite costume she’s dressed in.
 Probably when I was pregnant and dressed up as a magic 8 ball and on the side it had where people could guess the sex of the baby,” she said.

 One quarter of U.S. candy sold annually is for Halloween. Freshman Tanjim Himika mentions her favorite type of Halloween candy.
      I like Crunch,” she said.
Halloween was first introduced 2,000 years ago during the ancient Celtic Festival of Samhain. The practice of trick or treating might come from an ancient medieval custom called “souling” where poor people would knock on doors and ask for food and in return they would pray for the dead of the homeowners on Nov. 1. The Celtic polytheism religion came up with Halloween. Halloween originated in what is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France. Trick or Treating, however, in America started around the 1930s early 1940s. Tradition dictated huge bonfires be built in fields, and it was believed that fairy spirits lurked in the shadows. To distract these spirits from settling into houses and farms, people would carve rudimentary faces into large turnips, and set candles inside. The turnip lanterns would rest along roadways and next to gates, to both light the way for travelers and caution any passing fairies against invading. Immigrants to America used the pumpkin because it’s larger and easier to carve and turnips aren’t native to America. That’s how pumpkins came into play into modern Trick or Treating.
  Freshman Michelle Vela carved a pumpkin for Halloween
      “I carved a bat onto my pumpkin,” she said.

      The celebration of Halloween didn’t migrate till until mid the 1800’s from waves of Immigrants from Ireland and Scotland. Also, according to Irish legend, Jack O’Lanterns are named after a stingy man named Jack who, because he tricked the devil several times, was forbidden entrance into both heaven and hell. He was condemned to wander the Earth, waving his lantern to lead people away from their paths. Did you know that the famous movie, Halloween, Halloween was filmed in spring of 1978 is South Pasadena, California. Freshman Samanvita Kasthuri said she has a favorite Halloween movie.

   ”My favorite Halloween Movie would probably have to be Coraline,’’ she said

Halloween” is short for “Hallow’s Eve” or “Hallow’s Evening,” which was the evening before All Hallow’s (sanctified or holy) Day or Hallowmas on Nov. 1. In an effort to convert pagans, the Christian church decided that Hallowmas or All Saints’ Day (Nov. 1) and All Souls’ Day (Nov. 2) should assimilate sacred pagan holidays which fell on or around Oct. 31.

  Halloween is one of the oldest holidays and is celebrated differently around the world. In Mexico and other Latin American countries they call Halloween El Dia de los Muertos or the Day of the Dead. In Mexico and other Latin American countries they have All Souls Day which is on Nov. 2 and is a three-day celebration starting on Oct. 31. In the Evening of Nov. 9 bonfires are lit all throughout England. In Ireland one of the places where Halloween was originated it is celebrated as much as America they light bonfires also children are in costumes and trick or treat also after Trick or Treating people usually go to parties with neighbor and friends.

  Freshman Asad Siddiqui said what he did for Halloween.
  “I sat outside in my smile pajamas and handed out candy to kids but I had a broom next to me just in case clowns were coming at me I made them tell me jokes than I ate and kept the leftover candy,” Siddiqui said.