Halloween’s History and How We Decorate for It in the Big Country
Halloween or "All Hallows Eve" as it's been known and celebrated since the beginning of the 8th century started out as a total Christian holiday. As November 1st has always been known as "All Saints Day" in Latin and all European countries. However, in Ireland, Great Brittan, and the United States of America Halloween took on a little darker side.
Actually, it was more about the wardrobe/attire back in the day. As Christians were asked to prepare to celebrate All Saints Day (November 1st). But it was Pope Gregory III that went ahead and moved this holiday from May 13th to October 31st to celebrate the feast when he consecrated a chapel in St. Peter’s.
In Europe's Latin countries, (in the 8th century) the evening of October 31 was observed as a religious occasion, to prepare for All Saints Day. However, in England, Ireland, and the U.S. All Hallows Eve started as a day or time of religious celebration.
Today Halloween is the 2nd most popular holiday in America, second only to Christmas a sacred holiday where we celebrate the birth of Christ Jesus the Lord our savior. However, today in these modern times, we see Halloween as more of a secular holiday than a religious preparation day for All Saints Day.
LOOK: All These Halloween Decorated Houses Are Right Here In Abilene.
Gallery Credit: Rudy Fernandez
While the aforementioned is my abbreviated version of how two religious back-to-back days turned out to be two very opposite holidays. You can learn more about the transformation of history from Bill Petro an author of historic events, Britannica, and the Catholic Education Resource Center, for their views on All Hallows Eve aka Halloween.
Today Halloween is better known and way more popular than All Saints Day. It is interesting how the retail business world took Halloween and transformed it into a very profitable day for selling the darker side of life with witches, vampires, goblins, ghosts, demons, and in some areas the Day of the Dead.
Here's what the spookier side of Abilene and the Big Country looks like. I watched a family this past Saturday, Oct. 1st of what looked like a grandpa, a mom, a dad, and a couple of teenage kids decorating their yard for Halloween. It's incredible how much time and money is spent on Halloween (the second most popular holiday) in America.
The photos are of homes around Abilene and the neighboring communities that I took last year. This year I think more people are decorating for Halloween and a lot earlier. Enjoy and Happy Halloween Y'all!
LOOK: How Halloween has changed in the past 100 years
Gallery Credit: Brit McGinnis