October 2025 "The Migrant Journey of Halloween" by Adan Perez Herrera

     When Irish and Scottish immigrants crossed the Atlantic and arrived in the United States in the nineteenth century, they brought these customs with them. Halloween was no longer celebrated only to mark the end of summer, but also as a cultural identity feast. Initially, the celebration of Halloween struggled to find a place in North America. New England’s Puritans wanted nothing to do with it. But immigrant communities held fast to their traditions, celebrating with music and masquerades. Pumpkins replaced the turnips of the old country, giving rise to the glowing jack-o’-lanterns that are now iconic on Halloween. By the late 1800s, Halloween had evolved into a public festival and a youthful night of pranks, especially in cities like Philadelphia and New York. Gradually, families began reshaping the holiday, bringing it indoors with activities like apple bobbing, costume parties, and playful fortune games, transforming a cultural identity celebration into the child-centered celebration that we recognize today.

     Today, Halloween is one of the most popular holidays in North America and has also gained worldwide popularity. Children go on the streets in costumes, shouting “trick or treat,” while schools, neighborhoods, and families turn the season into one of creativity by decorating their scary homes and fun by scaring those who desire candy. The holiday has also become a commercial powerhouse, ranking second only to Christmas in sales of candy, costumes, and decorations. Regardless of the commercial aspects of Halloween, this feast is still more than just a shopping season; Halloween remains a night where imagination rules and communities come together with a single purpose to build cultural identity. From ancient bonfires in Celtic fields to modern city streets lit with glowing pumpkins, Halloween’s journey has been long, but its spirit endures as a cultural identity.

     The origins of Halloween have their roots in more than two thousand years ago, when the Celts of Ireland and Scotland used to mark the end of summer with a festival called Samhain. For them, October 31 was more than just the close of the harvest; it was a mystical night when the barrier between the living and the dead breaks, and both have an encounter. Big bonfires were lit to ward off wandering spirits, and people practiced fortune-telling rituals to peek into their future. When Christianity spread across Europe, the church tried to fold this tradition into All Hallows’ Eve (the night before All Saints’ Day). Yet, the ruins of Samhain feast remained, shaping the ghosts and eerie imagery that still cling to Halloween today.