“Halloween seems to unite us, as carnival and familiar, in ways that other events cannot do automatically,” Hartman said.
From Samhain to shapeshifting
Halloween’s roots trace back to Samhain, a Celtic festival marking the end of the harvest and the beginning of the darker half of the year. Ancient Celts believed that on the night of Oct. 31, the boundary between the living and the dead thinned, allowing spirits to cross over.
To protect themselves and blend in, villagers built bonfires, wore masks and disguised themselves in animal skins – rituals that likely inspired today’s costume traditions.
“Halloween is likely a harvest, end-of-’natural year’ calendar with rituals developed to address mortality,” Hartman explained. “It’s also a carnival – relief from stress and normal roles, with the chance to wear a temporary disguise and join in a community of shared celebration, with quasi shapeshifting or cosplay.”
Over centuries, these ancient rituals intertwined with Christian traditions. As Christianity spread through Europe, the church designated All Saints’ Day (Nov. 1) and All Souls’ Day (Nov. 2) to honor the dead, dates that closely mirrored Samhain. These observances eventually merged with folk customs to form the early version of Halloween.
A blend of beliefs and commerce
According to Hartman, Halloween’s endurance lies in its ability to adapt – melding spiritual, social, and commercial elements into something that resonates widely.
“Halloween derives in the West from a blend of religious explanations for our questions about ‘that which is seen and that which is unseen,’” she said. “It’s acknowledged in Christian liturgy with All Saints and All Souls’ Days and echoed in cultural celebrations like Día de los Muertos, made popular through Disney films like Coco and Encanto. These shared touchpoints make Halloween feel both personal and universal.”
In the U.S., Halloween took off as a community celebration in the early 20th century, gaining commercial momentum after World War II with the rise of store-bought costumes, decorations and mass-produced candy. By the late 20th century, it had grown into a multi-billion-dollar industry, second only to Christmas in retail spending.
From ‘Satanic’ to mainstream
While some conservative groups once condemned Halloween as a celebration of the occult, Hartman said those criticisms have largely faded.
“It used to be regularly denounced annually by rigid religious figures as Satanic,” she said. “But that seems largely limited to certain corners of social media now.”
Instead, Halloween has become a shared cultural ritual, one that embraces creativity, nostalgia, and inclusivity.
“The advent of family fall festivals and commercialized fall décor – hugely boosted during the COVID era by outdoor displays like the Home Depot skeletons – hastened general acceptance among younger generations,” Hartman noted. “Older generations, too, have embraced shared rituals like the ‘Blessing of the Animals’ or secular versions such as Halloween dog parades.”
A celebration that connects us
Hartman believes Halloween’s continued popularity reflects a deep human need for community and playfulness. In a world often divided by beliefs or politics, the season offers something simpler – a collective moment of joy, imagination and release.
“Halloween brings people together across generations, faiths and backgrounds,” she said. “It connects us through shared rituals, and it’s one of the few traditions where everyone – young and old – gets to take part in a little magic.”
Content Creator Brooke Bunch may be reached at brooke_bunch@yahoo.com.
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