History Of Halloween

Nobody is too old for Trick or Treat. Halloween is timeless whether you’re a two-year old or an adult. Ghosts, goblins and scary spirits. Do you really know how Halloween originated?

The roots of this occasion run deep in Gaelic history. ”All Hallows Eve” (originated from the Pagan festival “Samhain”) was first celebrated among the Celts of Ireland and Great Britain.

The festival of Samhain was an important time of year. It marked the end of the harvest period and began the transition towards winter. At the time, people believed this time of year was actually a meeting point for the world of the living and the world of the dead.

Then spirits can make direct contact with the physical world. People would wear creative disguises and masks, thought to please or imitate the mischievous spirits.

Trick-or-treating is a modern take on this tradition, though originally children were asking for blessings rather than sweets and money!

As October 31st approaches, Halloween now symbolizes crazy costume parties, pumpkin picking, haunted houses, hay rides, horror films, festive pranks and a big jump in candy and pumpkin sales! It’s a crazy time for all.

Well then… read on. We’ve scoured the scary streets, turned over every gravestone and found something for everybody to keep you busy this Halloween.

So before you grab your gruesome mask or sexy devil costume and head out for that Halloween party, read on! Here’s a list of the best festivals, popular parties, scary haunted houses and wicked horror flicks to scare the living heck out of you! [via]

Top Festivals/Parades:

1. New York’s Greenwich Village Halloween Parade
2. New Orleans Halloween Street Parade
3. Key West’s Fantasy Fest
4. West Hollywood’s Hall Street Festival
5. Chicago’s North Halsted Street Halloween Parade

Best Parties:
1. Halloween Party at the Playboy Mansion
2. New York’s Masquerade Ball at Capital
3. Las Vegas’ “Vegoose” Party at Sam Boyd Stadium
4. DASK Procutions Masquerade and Costume Ball at Cinespace on Hollywood Blvd.
5. DC’s Halloween Monster Bash at Clarendon Ballroom

Scary Destinations:
1. Witch Museum at the House of 7 Gables – Salem, Massachusetts
2. Myrtles Plantation – Francisville, Louisianna
3. Haunted Bonaventure Cemetary – Savannah, Georgia
4. Bachelor’s Grove Cemetary – Chicago, Illinois
5. Viscilla Ax Murder House – Viscilla, Iowa

Haunted Houses:
1. Eastern State Penitentiary – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2. Queen Mary Shipwreck – Long Beach, California
3. 7 Floors of Hell – Cleveland, Ohio
4. Netherworld – Atlanta, Georgia
5. The Haunted Hotel – San Diego, California

Cult Horror Classics:
1. The Shining
2. The Exorcist
3. Psycho
4. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
5. Rosemary’s Baby