Excitement for holidays is high during the autumn and winter months. With that comes debate whether which upcoming holiday is the best. While many people would choose Christmas or Thanksgiving, Halloween is supreme over any other holiday.
It is important to address each holiday’s origins to discuss these exciting days. The background of these celebrations will help us understand their history, traditions and why they exist.
Halloween, originally known as Samhain, originated before Christmas and Thanksgiving. Samhain was a pagan celebration for the beginning of Autumn and the harvest. The practice of wearing costumes originated from people dressing up as spirits to protect themselves from ghosts and other spirits. There was a legend about a boy named Stingy Jack. In the story, Jack caught the Devil and only released him under the premise of never going to Hell. Jack was rejected from Heaven after he passed away, so instead, he stayed on Earth as a spirit. He only had a carved turnip to use as a light, which turned into the tradition of jack-o-lanterns. People love to place jack-o-lanterns outside for trick-or-treaters to see. The origin of trick-or-treating is often debated because it is not entirely known.
People have come up with a few theories, one of them being that people would leave food out in order to not make spirits angry. Another theory suggests that trick-or-treating began when poor people would get food from other people in exchange for prayers. The last theory, and what I believe is the one most likely to have happened, is that kids dressed up in costumes, and were rewarded with a treat if adults could not guess what they were. One of my favorite things about Halloween is black cats. Black cats are associated with Halloween because it was believed black cats were supernatural beings who helped the witches.
The dark aspects of Halloween make it even better because most holidays are very bright and joyous. Horror movies, scary stories, and dark atmospheres are very fun and exciting. Never knowing when you may get jumpscared, waiting for Spirit Halloween to finally open, and dressing up with friends are some of my favorite things about this holiday. I think more people would enjoy Halloween if they weren’t too scared to go to haunted houses and hayrides.
The holiday that originated after Halloween is Christmas. Christmas was first celebrated in the 4th century. Believed to have started in Rome, original Christmas festivals were celebrated at the end of the harvest season. Christmas became more popular after the legend of St. Nicholas spread throughout the world. He was rumored to be a bishop in the peninsula of Asia Minor and was known for protecting children and sailors as well as donating to the poor. In honor of him, people would give gifts and have a feast. The traditions celebrating St. Nicholas and Christmas combined over time, creating the modern-day celebrations we have.
Christmas traditions include gift-giving, caroling, decorating a Christmas tree, and spreading happiness. Christmas is an amazing holiday, however it is not better than Halloween because you can give gifts and sing songs any time of the year. You cannot go trick-or-treating year-round and haunted houses and hayrides are only open for Halloween, which makes it even more exciting.
Originating after both of those holidays is Thanksgiving. In 1863, President Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday. Thanksgiving was inspired by a feast shared amongst the pilgrims in Plymouth and Wampanoag people in 1621 . The tradition of eating turkey on Thanksgiving comes from when pilgrims would go hunting for geese and turkey and serve it for a meal. The Wampanoag showed up at Plymouth one day and the two groups talked with each other for days without conflict. The Wampanoag and pilgrims ate outside together as people fired off guns for entertainment. The two groups made a treaty that remained strong for half a century. Thanksgiving has always been controversial because of the brutal deaths of Native Americans. However, the meaning of Thanksgiving has shifted over time and is now celebrated as a day of gathering with family and friends to appreciate the things you are thankful for.
Thanksgiving is a nice holiday to come together with family and have a nice meal, but it isn’t anything special compared to Halloween. As Thanksgiving is only celebrated in America and Canada, not everyone around the world can celebrate and enjoy this holiday.
These three holidays are all fun and unique with varying celebrations and origins, and each person has their own favorite, but the obvious choice for the best holiday is Halloween.
