Where did Halloween start? It started with the Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced Sow-unn), when people would light bonfires and wear costumes that scared off ghosts. Countless centuries later, trick or treating became the thing to do. People used to dress up in costumes and ask for food or money, but these days, people usually give candy. Halloween used to be called Allhalloween, All Hallows Day, Saints Eve, or Hallowe’en.

There is some more information about Halloween on the Farmers Almanac website: (https://www.almanac.com/content/when-is-halloween)

• Halloween was once known in England as Nutcracker Night, where families would gather to eat cider, nuts, and apples.
• The Irish used candlelit turnips carved with demons’ faces to scare spirits away.
• The name Jack-O-Lantern comes from an Irish folktale about a man named Stingy Jack who invited Satan to have a drink with him but refused to pay.
• Irish people would carve scary faces on potatoes or turnips, and have them out on their  windows or porches to scare Jack away but as soon as turnips started to vanish, the Irish replaced them with the traditional pumpkins we use today!

Ways You Can Celebrate Halloween!

• Carve pumpkins
• Roast pumpkin seeds
• Wear Halloween costumes
• Cook yummy treats and sweets
• Go trick or treating
• Play Halloween hide and seek 
• Tell spooky stories
• Throw a party
• Watch a scary Movie
• Do stick or treat
• BOO your Neighbor

As many of you know, I’m a big fan of holidays, and Halloween is no exception. I asked a number of Oak Forest students and staff who they would dress as this Halloween:

Lanya G: Sully (Monsters Inc.)

Anthony A: Tanjiro Kamado (Demon Slayer)

Mr. Musser (Social Studies): Goofy (Mickey Mouse)

Kayden F: Monkey

Ariana A: Fourth Doctor (Doctor Who)

Lucas G: Frank Sinatra

Mr. Blakley, Ms. Mathis (Spanish): Lotería Characters

Gwen N: Unicorn Mask

Beatriz M: Emily (Corpse Bride)

Alexander D: Iron Man (Avengers)

Kiara C: Jesse (Toy Story)

Mario F: Inflatable Unicorn

Austin P: Prisoner

Zuma D: Prisoner

Ziyad A: Pink Batman

Jack M: Cowboy

Jade R: Susie (Dead by Daylight) / Nothing There (Lobotomy Corporation)

Ms. Marovich and Ms. Fahey (English): Twins

Jordan C: Fairy

Ethan R: Mr. Andruch

Mr. Rojek and Family: Scooby Doo

Matthew Z: Karate Kid

Torie T: Raven

Armani R: Guy Fieri

Ametrion J: Plague Doctor

Carlebs C: Bandot

Ms. Hooper: Witch

Ms. Harris: Star Wars character

Ms. Osmolak: Skunk

Dominic F: Sheep

Hailee R: Angel

Danny C: Ghost

Melanie C: Inflatable Cow

Aiden O: Jeremy S

Maggie S: Witch

Jeremy S: Sid (Toy Story)

Ms. Hawes: Superhero

Mr. Thormeyer: Viking

Ms. Nath: Oscar the Grouch

Bella H: Steve Harvey

Emilia B: Rowlie Jefferson

Ms. McMahon: Mrs. Doubtfire