Halloween

Halloween, is a holiday celebrated on the night of October 31. Halloween, like any other festival is inspired through traditions that have transpired through ages from one generation to another. The term Halloween is shortened from All-hallow-evening, as it is the eve of "All Hallows' Day", which is now also known as All Saints' Day. The Halloween owes it's origin to the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain. Halloween is celebrated in several countries of the Western world, most commonly in Ireland (where it originated), the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, Japan, New Zealand, and occasionally in parts of Australia. In Sweden the All Saints' official holiday takes place on the first Saturday of November. On Halloween night, adults and children dress up as creatures from the underworld (e.g., ghosts, ghouls, zombies, witches and goblins), light bonfires, and enjoy spectacular fireworks displays. The prime Halloween activities in the Halloween party include trick-or-treating, ghost tours, bonfires, costume parties, visiting "haunted houses", carving Jack-o'-lanterns, reading scary stories and watching horror movies. The houses are frequently adorned with turnips carved into scary faces; lights or candles are sometimes placed inside the carvings to present an eerie effect. The carved Halloween pumpkin or the jack-o-lantern as it is popularly know in the United States of America, is lit by a candle inside and is one of Halloween's most prominent symbols. These carved pumpkin first Originated in Europe and were initially carved from a turnip or rutabaga. The Celts believed that the head was the most powerful part of the body containing the spirit and the knowledge, so they used the "head" of the vegetable to frighten off any superstitions. People also love to celebrate Halloween by sending Halloween cards and Halloween greeting cards as a part of their Halloween wishes and Halloween invitation. During this part of the year, the sale of the Halloween cards, Halloween postcards and the Halloween greeting cards are on the rise. Although the commercialization of Halloween did not start until the 20th century, beginning perhaps with Halloween postcards with hundreds of varieties and designs which were most popular amongst the Halloween ideas. Halloween Horror Nights, which is celebrated at the Universal Orlando Resort, is a Halloween event presented annually. The tradition began in 1991 in Universal Studios Florida with only one haunted house and since then it has continued annually for 18 years to become one of the largest Halloween events in the United States. Halloween has over the years become a very prominent festival of celebration of horror all over the world.