HistoryandCustomsofHalloweenHalloweeniscelebratedannually.Butjusthowandwhendidthispeculiarcustomoriginate?Onestorysaysthat,onthatday,thedisembodiedspiritsofallthosewhohaddiedthroughouttheprecedingyearwouldcomebackinsearchoflivingbodiestopossessforthenextyear.Itwasbelievedtobetheironlyhopefortheafterlife,(Panati).TheCeltsbelievedalllawsofspaceandtimeweresuspendedduringthistime,allowingthespiritworldtointerminglewiththeliving,(Gahagan).Naturally,thestill-livingdidnotwanttobepossessed.SoonthenightofOctober31,villagerswouldextinguishthefiresintheirhomes,tomakethemcoldandundesirable.Theywouldthendressupinallmannerofghoulishcostumesandnoisilyparadedaroundtheneighborhood,beingasdestructiveaspossibleinordertofrightenawayspiritslookingforbodiestopossess,(Panati).Thethrustofthepracticesalsochangedovertimetobecomemoreritualized.Asbeliefinspiritpossessionwaned,thepracticeofdressinguplikehobgoblins,ghosts,andwitchestookonamoreceremonialrole.ThecustomofHalloweenwasbroughttoAmericainthe1840'sbyIrishimmigrants.Thecustomoftrick-or-treatingisthoughttohaveoriginatednotwiththeIrishCelts,butwithaninth-centuryEuropeancustomcalledsouling.OnNovember2,AllSoulsDay,earlyChristianswouldwalkfromvillagetovillagebeggingfor"soulcakes,"madeoutofsquarepiecesofbreadwithcurrants.Themoresoulcakesthebeggarswouldreceive,themoreprayerstheywouldpromisetosayonbehalfofthedeadrelativesofthedonors.Atthetime,itwasbelievedthatthedeadremainedinlimboforatimeafterdeath,andthatprayer,evenbystrangers,couldexpediteasoul'spassagetoheaven.TheJack-o-lanterncustomprobablycomesfromIrishfolklore.Asthetaleistold,amannamedJack,whowasnotoriousasadrunkardandtrickster,trickedSatanintoclimbingatree.Jackthencarvedanimageofacrossinthetree'strunk,trappingthedevilupthetree.Jackmadeadealwiththedevilthat,ifhewouldnevertempthimagain,hewouldpromisetolethimdownthetree.Accordingtothefolktale,afterJackdied,hewasdeniedentrancetoHeavenbecauseofhisevilways,buthewasalsodeniedaccesstoHellbecausehehadtrickedthedev