• The origin of Halloween can be traced back to Samhain, a Celtic festival over two thousand years ago; the Celts believed that at the end of October each year, when summer ended and winter arrived, the boundary between the living and the spirit world became blurred, and the souls of the dead would return to the mortal world

    To ward off wandering evil spirits, the Celts would light bonfires and disguise themselves in animal skins and masks to avoid being recognized by ghosts; this is the earliest origin of the Halloween costume

    After the expansion of the Roman Empire, the Roman harvest commemoration gradually merged with Samhain; with the rise of Christianity, the church set November 1 as All Saints' Day to honor the saints, and the night of October 31, known as All Hallows' Eve, slowly became shortened to Halloween

    Early customs included visiting neighbors and asking for offerings, which was the prototype of the modern trick-or-treat; in the 19th century, large numbers of Irish and Scottish immigrants brought the tradition to North America, where it was continually reshaped, stripped of its original religious overtones, and gradually became a lighthearted folk festival

    Modern Halloween downplays sacrifice and reverence for the dead, evolving into a nationwide celebration where costumes, jack-o'-lanterns, trick-or-treating, and themed parties take center stage; from the ancient bonfire ritual to today's community trick-or-treating and family parties, the core of Halloween has changed long ago, yet the love for fantastical stories continues to this day