Decorating for Halloween

Do you go all out with your holiday decorating each year? This past weekend, a friend and I went on a home tour in the Atlanta area and we saw some really fun Halloween decorating. It started me wondering about the origins of this fun holiday. It turns out, of all the holidays we celebrate, Halloween is one of the oldest and is second only to Christmas in popularity.

The origins of Halloween, or as it was first called, All Hallows Eve, date back over 2000 years to the Druids, a Celtic culture in Ireland, Britain and Northern Europe. That’s why it is always celebrated on October 31st, the last day of the Celtic calendar. Though it was originally a pagan holiday honoring the dead, All Hallows Eve is actually the evening before All Saints Day, which was created by Christians to convert pagans. Interesting history!

Have you ever wondered why we get all dressed up in costume and go trick-or-treating? It seems, the Celts were convinced the souls of the dead roamed the streets and villages at night. Yikes! So, to keep those evil spirits happy, thus ensuring plentiful crops in the upcoming year, gifts and treats were left out for the taking. The tradition of dressing in costume was just a tactic for fooling those evil spirits so they would leave you alone.

Today, Halloween just gives us a great excuse to decorate, have parties and in general…have a little silly fun. Need a little inspiration to get in the “spirit” of things? Here are some fun ways to get your home ready for Halloween…