Halloween : Why Do We Celebrate It on October 31?

• The word “Halloween” comes from All Hallows’ Eve and means “hallowed evening.”
• The history of Halloween dates back to a pagan festival called Samhain.
• Hundreds of years ago, people dressed up as saints and went door-to-door, which is the origin of Halloween costumes and trick-or-treating.

What Does Halloween Mean?
The current English name Halloween traces back to medieval Christianity. The word hallow is derived from the Middle and Old English words for holy.

Halloween obviously remains a popular holiday in America today, but it actually almost didn’t make it across the Atlantic.