Abstract

Halloween is celebrated in several countries around the world, but one of the most known is the United States. It stemmed from ancient Celtic rituals, specifically the festival Samhain. The ancient Roman empire invaded the Celts in what is now known as Ireland and England. Later the empire established Christian traditions aligning with their own religion rather than the pre-existing traditions from the Celts. The traditions evolved with Christianity in Europe. Then these traditions started coming over to the United States with European colonists migrating to escape their old lives. The mixing of cultures from the colonies came with a blending of traditions in holidays as well. Then as the United States industrialized and expanded, gaining more popularity and filtering out customs, the traditions started to morph into something new. With some setbacks and changes due to culture evolutions, safety concerns, and media influences of the time, Halloween slowly but surely transformed into the modern traditions celebrated today.

Semester/Year of Award

Spring 5-1-2023

Mentor

Timothy Smit

Mentor Department Affiliation

History, Philosophy, and Religious Studies

Access Options

Restricted Access Thesis

Degree Name

Honors Scholars

Degree Level

Bachelors

Department

Psychology

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