Decorating the house for Halloween is a time-honored tradition for many, and often times the scarier and creepier the decorations, the better people like it.
The tradition of celebrating Halloween, also known as All Hallows Eve, began over 2000 years ago. The Druids, which was a Celtic culture in Ireland, Britain and Northern Europe, celebrated Halloween on October 31st because it was the last day of the Celtic calendar. Although the holiday started out as a way for pagans to honor the dead, All Hallows Eve was created by Christians as a way to convert pagans according to
Houzz.
As was reported on
Digital Journal, Jack-o-lanterns and pumpkins are a traditional staple in most Halloween decorations.
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Kimberly Johnson
A friend's jack-o-lantern
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The tradition of "trick-or-treating" is believed to date back to England's early All Souls' Day parades. During the parades, the poor would beg for food. Families would give the beggars pastries called "soul cakes" . Those receiving the cakes would then promise to pray for the family's dead relatives. The Church would encourage people to give out the cakes as a way to replace the ancient practice of leaving food and wine for roaming spirits.
As the centuries have progressed, the idea of honoring the ghosts of deceased relatives and friends has morphed into a more ominous tradition. The Halloween ghosts of today are more fearsome and malevolent according to
About.com.
Here are some of the more creepy decorations found around my neighborhood.
Halloween decorations in Tennessee
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Tammy Paladini
Decorating the inside of the home is also popular with many people.
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