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This History Channel article explains the origins and evolution of Halloween, including its ties to ancient Celtic festivals and modern celebrations.

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Featured

When Is Halloween 2024? Halloween is celebrated each year on October 31. Halloween 2024 will take place on Thursday, October 31. Ancient History of Halloween Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago, mostly in the area that is now Ireland, the United [...]
Read more Read more about Halloween 2024

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Halloween: Origins and Traditions | HISTORY

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Halloween originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain and is now a worldwide event. Learn about the jack-o-lantern, trick-or-treating, Halloween costumes and more.

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Fun facts about Halloween, its symbols, and the way it's celebrated today. Perfect for students!

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Get costume ideas, check out cool photo galleries, watch spooky videos, get jack-o'-lantern carving tips, and more!

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Find Halloween games, crafts, videos, and safety tips from PBS Kids, all perfect for teens and younger students alike.

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Halloween Crafts and Activities for Kids | Videos

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Help your child celebrate this fall holiday with crafts, activities and other things to do that will help them learn and play!

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Time for Kids: Halloween Across the World

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Time for Kids: Halloween Across the World

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See how different countries celebrate Halloween and learn about the global impact of the holiday.

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Do you have a Halloween tradition? Maybe you carve faces on pumpkins. Or watch scary movies with your family. Halloween customs started in Europe. They go back about 2,000 years. The holiday was a harvest celebration. Fall is harvest…

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Educators discuss ways to have a culturally sensitive and fun Halloween at school.

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Culturally Responsive Teaching

Finding simple ways to celebrate different holidays in the classroom can create a culture of inclusion and deepen understanding.

Michael Wheatley / Alamy Stock Photo

I'm full of warm and fuzzy memories of holiday celebrations from my time as a student: the annual Thanksgiving dinner in the gymnasium, the Halloween parade of costumes, Christmas concert preparations and presentations, and Easter egg painting.

Holiday celebrations and traditions are often the most exciting part of the school year for kids and teachers, but how do we navigate holidays and traditions while creating a classroom that is inclusive and respectful?

Strategies in classrooms and schools allow teachers to navigate any holiday or special event respectfully with academic benefits as well. Select holidays and religious celebrations based on your classroom representation. When I get more diverse classrooms, I do my best to celebrate more prominent holidays, learn about ones that would be new to most of my students, and at least share a quick video or do a small activity to acknowledge them.

Learn About Each Other

Knowing and learning about classmates' and teachers' cultural backgrounds, religions, families, and traditions at the beginning of the school year reduces fear and increases empathy. It also creates a platform where students can ask questions and break down stereotypes. Because some students and parents may be resistant at first, I send a message home at the beginning of the school year outlining our purpose in celebrating different holidays as part of my general introduction letter. I usually include a section that reads: "We are excited to learn about each other's families, cultures, holidays, and celebrations throughout the school year. If you would like to volunteer to share a cultural holiday, meal, or celebration with us, please contact me via the signature information below."

As a result of my invitation through the introductory letter, I have had many parents come forward to share and take part in celebrations with us. We've burned sweetgrass, displayed traditional costumes from various cultures, danced to traditional holiday songs from many areas of the world-and of course cooked and tried many holiday dishes.

Identity Collage: Students can create and present a visual collage that represents their ancestry, religion, and family. Teachers can also complete and present this activity.

How many places have you lived?

Where have you traveled?

What's your favorite pastime?

What's your favorite holiday?

Do you play sports?

What's your favorite subject in school?

What's your cultural background?

How many people are in your family?

Do you have any pets?

What's your favorite food?

10 Questions: Ask students to create a list of 10 get-to-know-you questions, and then allow students to interact with each other. Each pair of students then introduces their partner to the class. Often, students will require example questions to get them started. I usually start with a brainstorming list of questions students can use and leave them on the board throughout the duration of this activity.

Possible questions might include:

Line Game: Use a tape to create a line on the classroom floor. Then ask students questions such as "Who has a sibling?" or "Who has lived in another country?" and have any students with that experience stand on the line. Students can ask questions, and the teacher can participate as well. The game provides a low-risk way for students to share information about their experiences and backgrounds.

Incorporate Academics

Why do we celebrate or acknowledge holidays and traditions? How did these holidays and traditions develop? Often, students have no idea about the origins of the holidays or traditions they celebrate. Learning about them allows for academic study and discussion about why they exist.

Expand the focus beyond North American holidays and traditions. My favorite way to expand our focus is to start with a History Channel video about holidays and traditions from a variety of cultures and religions. I find that they are short and engaging, and often come with activities and resources for teachers. Once viewing is complete, you can follow up with a variety of different activities to deepen learning. For example, after viewing, I will ask students to write a paragraph about an element of the film. Group discussions about the content can also be a good starting point for understanding different holidays and faiths.

Films are not the only mechanism for fostering better understanding. Inviting leaders of different faith traditions to the classroom to share their experiences can be a personalized way to improve understanding. I invite a local indigenous leader to my classroom to share about his traditions and oral creation stories. He usually also burns sweetgrass as part of this activity, and my students have always been interested and engaged in this experience that is foreign to most of them. Students gain a more nuanced understanding of the neighboring indigenous traditions by hearing in person from a local leader.

Celebrate Everything

If you're learning about a variety of holidays and traditions around the world that have specific celebration dates, they should be celebrated in your classroom the same way you would celebrate traditional North American holidays and traditions. Simple strategies such as inviting students to dress a certain way, create a piece of art, share food, sing a song, or write something related to the holiday or tradition can help students appreciate others' holidays and traditions.

Whatever method of celebration you choose, the fact that you are stopping your regular classroom activities to show respect to all holidays and traditions celebrated by your students creates an environment of acceptance and inclusivity.

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Sharing Holiday Traditions in the Classroom

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Finding simple ways to celebrate different holidays in the classroom can create a culture of inclusion and deepen understanding.

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Smithsonian Magazine: The Spooky Science Behind Haunted Houses

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Smithsonian Magazine: The Spooky Science Behind Haunted Houses

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Learn about the psychology and science that make haunted houses spooky!

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What feels like a supernatural presence might actually be vibrations outside of humans' conscious perception

smithsonianmag.com

​'Tis the season to celebrate the supernatural, whether that means visiting a haunted house or donning a spooky costume. But while some might scare themselves silly in the name of Halloween fun, 42 percent of Americans believe ghosts are for real, according to a 2013 Harris Poll. The belief in ghosts dates back to at least ancient Mesopotamian times, and it seems to have lodged itself in the collective psyche. But in many cases, science can explain what might seem like a message from beyond. Here are five scientific explanations for encounters with the supernatural.

The "Fear Frequency"

Just below the range of human hearing, infrasound can cause some strange sensations. Humans can't hear sound below 20 hertz, but some people subconsciously respond to lower frequencies with feelings of fear or dread, reports Jennifer Ouellette for . In one account from 1998, engineer Vic Tandy of Coventry University spent a night in a lab believed to be haunted. He and his colleagues experienced anxiety and distress, felt cold shivers down their spines, and Tandy even reported seeing a dark blob out of the corner of his eye. It turned out that there was a silent fan creating sound waves at around 19 hertz, the exact frequency that can cause the human eyeball to vibrate and "see" optical illusions. "When we finally switched it off, it was as if a huge weight was lifted," Tandy told Chris Arnot for the .

Unusual Electromagnetic Fields

Electromagnetic field (EMF) meters are commonly used to identify electrical problems. They're also a staple of the ghost-hunter's toolbox, reports Erika W. Smith for Refinery29. Neuroscientist Michael Persinger thinks normal variation in electromagnetic fields could be a possible explanation for supposed hauntings. He tested this theory in the 1980s by having people wear helmets that delivered weak magnetic stimulation. Eighty percent of his test subjects said they felt "an unexplained presence in the room" when they wore the helmets. What's more, famous spooky spots like Hampton Court Palace have been found to have unusual electromagnetic fields, reports Neil Dagnall for the Conversation.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

On a Halloween episode of This American Life, host Ira Glass and toxicologist Albert Donnay unearth an old ghost story published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology in 1921. As recounted by "Mrs. H," her family moved into an old house and began experiencing what seemed like paranormal activity-the sound of footsteps, strange voices and even feeling like they were held down in their beds by an unseen person. Meanwhile, the houseplants were dying, and Mrs. H's children felt weak and suffered from headaches. A quick investigation revealed that a faulty furnace was filling the house with carbon monoxide fumes. Carbon monoxide poisoning can cause hallucinations and sickness, explaining all of their symptoms. After the furnace was repaired, the "hauntings" stopped.

Sleep Paralysis

The most common explanation for a ghost sighting is sleep paralysis, sleep specialist Priyanka Yadav tells 's Diane Mapes. The body is naturally paralyzed during REM sleep, but the feeling of paralysis can cause terror if experienced while awake. Sometimes, the body and brain get their wires crossed, and a person can experience a few seconds to a couple minutes of waking paralysis, which is often accompanied by hallucinations. Yadav says the hallucinations can involve anything from spiders to ghosts and are usually characterized by a feeling of dread. When someone reports a "haunting" that happened right around bedtime or after waking in the middle of the night-and that they were so scared, they couldn't move-it's enough for Yadav to diagnose a case of sleep paralysis.

The Power of Suggestion

Social psychology might have an explanation for reported hauntings that the natural sciences can't resolve. Refinery29 reports that one study found the power of suggestion to be strong enough to make people believe they witnessed a supernatural event. Participants watched a video of a purported psychic supposedly bending a key with his mind. The people who were exposed to positive social influence-meaning that an actor in the group said they saw the key bend-were more likely to report they saw the key bend, too. Participants who were in a room with naysayers and skeptics were more likely to doubt the validity of the trick, but just one person's confident assertion that they believed the psychokinesis was enough to make others believe it as well.

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About Andrea Michelson

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Five Scientific Explanations for Spooky Sensations

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smithsonianmag.com ​'Tis the season to celebrate the supernatural, whether that means visiting a haunted house or donning a spooky costume. But while some might scare themselves silly in the name of Halloween fun, 42 percent of Americans believe ghosts are for real, according to a 2013 Harris Poll.

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Smithsonian Latino Center: Día de los Muertos

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Smithsonian Latino Center: Día de los Muertos

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Explore artifacts, videos, and explanations about Día de los Muertos straight from the Smithsonian Latino Center.

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Day of the Dead Resources | National Museum of the American Latino

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Celebrate and explore Latino cultural heritage through this holiday honoring ancestors and the cycle of life. Learn different aspects of Día de los Muertos and how it is celebrated and practiced.

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National Geographic: Día de los Muertos Photos & Traditions

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National Geographic: Día de los Muertos Photos & Traditions

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A photo essay and cultural guide to Mexico's Day of the Dead, a celebration of life and remembrance.

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Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, typically begins on All Saints Day, the first day of November. While most festivities combine indigenous and Catholic traditions, the Mexican holiday predates Catholic influence, originating from ancient Aztec festivals that venerated gods like Mictēcacihuātl, the powerful lady of the dead. Today there are as many places to celebrate as there are interpretations of the festival's "new" signature lady, the feather-boa skeleton, La Catrina, originally painted by José Guadalupe Posada and reimagined by Mexican artist Diego Rivera in his 1947 mural " Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park."

While every place incorporates different traditions (spicy rum in Haiti, baby-shaped bread in Ecuador) all festivities have one thing in common-a joyful and rich celebration of those dearly departed. This is a time for sharing funny stories about those who have passed, for eating your great-great-grandma's favorite soup, for cleaning the graves, for dancing in the streets. Markets across Mexico spill over with sugary candy, copal incense, pricked paper banners, and mountains of bread. Everywhere, everything is flooded with marigolds.

If there is one festival motif it would be calacas and calaveras, skeletons and skulls. Children in skeleton face-paint chew sugary skull candy. Bone-shaped bread and skull maracas balance on tables between stacks of tiny ceramic skulls. Skull-shaped balloons are paraded through town behind costumed skeletons who dance their skeleton marionettes. Even the poems written for the festival are called calaveras, satirical little verses that joke to remind us that everyone, rich or poor, famous or unknown, is headed to the same fate-back to the soil, to bone, to ash.

These photos were submitted to Your Shot, our storytelling community where photographers can take part in photo assignments, get expert feedback, be published, and more. Join now to submit your photos.

Cait Etherton is a Virginia-based writer and frequent contributor to National Geographic Travel. Follow her journey on Twitter.

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Beautiful pictures of Day of the Dead celebrations in the Americas

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Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, typically begins on All Saints Day, the first day of November. While most festivities combine indigenous and Catholic traditions, the Mexican holiday predates Catholic influence, originating from ancient Aztec festivals that venerated gods like Mictēcacihuātl, the powerful lady of the dead.

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Short videos, teacher resources, and activities focused on teaching Día de los Muertos to students.

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Día de los Muertos | All About the Holidays | PBS LearningMedia

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With roots in ancient Mexico, Dia de los Muertos now combines multiple cultures in Mexico and the United States for celebration. This colorful three day event of costumes, food, and dance honors loved ones who have passed away.

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Google Arts & Culture: Día de los Muertos

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Google Arts & Culture: Día de los Muertos

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Virtual tours, altar galleries, and artworks related to Day of the Dead traditions in Mexico and beyond.

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Explore and celebrate one of Mexico's most ancient and popular traditions

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Time for Kids: Day of the Dead Explained

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Time for Kids: Day of the Dead Explained

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A simple, student-friendly article detailing the significance and traditions of Día de los Muertos.

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Dia de los Muertos is a Mexican holiday celebrated around November 1. This celebratory parade was held in Brooklyn, New York. The holiday remembers family membe…

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Getty Museum: Day of the Dead Interactive

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Getty Museum: Day of the Dead Interactive

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Create your own digital ofrenda and explore more about this beautiful tradition.

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Dia de Todos Los Muertos (The J. Paul Getty Museum Collection)

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Dia de Todos Los Muertos (The J. Paul Getty Museum Collection); negative 1933; print later, possibly 1980s; Manuel Álvarez Bravo (Mexican, 1902 - 2002); Gelatin silver print; Image: 24.1 × 17.8

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Ángela Aguilar - La Llorona (Video Oficial)

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La Santa Cecilia - Amor Eterno (En Vivo)

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Carlos Rivera - Recuérdame (De "Coco"/Versión de Carlos Rivera/Official Video)

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Bobby "Boris" Pickett - Monster Mash (Official Lyric Video)

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Ray Parker Jr. - Ghostbusters (Official HD Video)

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Spooky Scary Skeletons - Original Video [4K HD]

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Explore spooky science experiments that you can try at home or in class, perfect for Halloween!

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Kids love candy and kids love science. Why not combine the two and try some of these fun, easy Halloween candy experiments that will not only get your kids excited about science, but help empty that plastic bucket!

This isn't just a cool science experiment, it's like a beautiful art project! Simple (just two ingredients) and quick.

SOURCE: Little Bins for Little Hands

2. Take the candy acid test.

A simple experiment to test whether or not candy has acid in it. All you need is sour Skittles, water, and baking soda. If the candy has acid, the mixture will bubble and fizz when the baking soda is added.

This simple activity is perfect for little scientists who want to see creatures come to life before their eyes.

SOURCE: Playdough To Plato

This awesome hands-on activity is paired with the book Planets by Ellen Hasbrouck. Kids will love constructing their own galaxy on a pan of brownies with leftover Halloween candy. (Ask parent volunteers to provide the brownies).

SOURCE: School Time Snippets

Your students will think they are performing magic with this fun experiment! This version is a fun one, as kids get to try varying amounts of different candies and observe the results.

SOURCE: Learn Play Imagine

This amazing experiment is a classic! Your students will love creating Diet Coke geysers as they learn about chemical reactions. Note: Definitely an outdoor activity!

SOURCE: Steve Spangler Science

Little ones will love this Alice in Wonderland style experiment. Using water, salt and Gummy Bears, your students will learn about the process of osmosis.

SOURCE: Playdough To Plato

What makes these candies dissolve the fastest and why? Your students will get a taste of the scientific method as they experiment with different liquids and leftover Halloween candy.

SOURCE: Lemon Lime Adventures Dissolving Peeps and Lemon Lime Adventures Dissolving Candy Pumpkins

9. They're melting, melting!

Steve Spangler Science shares this activity that experiments with the effect of heat on different types of candy. Your students will be surprised by the different reactions of Smarties, Pixy Sticks, Lifesavers and more! Great activity for teaching predicting and the scientific method.

SOURCE: Steve Spangler Science

Who knew candy had more than just sugar in it? This experiments using Starburst and heat is eye-opening.

SOURCE: Candy Experiments

Save a little time and money by ordering your candy using Walmart Online Grocery Pickup. Simply shop online at Walmart.com/grocery and select the Walmart store nearest you that offers the online grocery pickup feature (it's available in over 100 stores nationwide). From your computer or mobile device, fill your virtual cart with all that candy and anything else you might need. Then select a time in your busy day to pull into the reserved pickup parking spot and while Walmart staff load your car.

Want to try it for yourself? Use promo code TEACHERS when you use Walmart Online Grocery Pickup and you'll get $10 off your first $50 purchase!
Do you have any other brilliant Halloween candy experiments? Share in the comments below!

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10 of Our Favorite Halloween Candy Experiments

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Kids love candy and kids love science. Why not combine the two and try some of these fun, easy Halloween candy experiments that will not only get your kids excited about science, but help empty that plastic bucket! This isn't just a cool science experiment, it's like a beautiful art project!

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Test your knowledge with this fun quiz about the history and traditions of Halloween and Día de los Muertos.

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Design and cut papel picado, a traditional Mexican decoration used during Día de los Muertos.

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How to Make Papel Picado EASY - DIY for Kids Day of the Dead #mrschuettesart

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Watch videos exploring cultural differences in Halloween and Día de los Muertos celebrations around the world.

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What's the difference between Halloween and Día de Los Muertos?