By Gabriel TenEyck and Tavie Son (Posted on October 31st at 12:06 p.m.)

BOO! When most people think of Halloween they think of pumpkin carving and trick or treating with your friends in elaborate costumes, but where did these traditions really come from? And how do we celebrate this spooky holiday here at AHJS? 

A Frightful History

Halloween has its roots in a 2,000-year-old Celtic festival called ‘Samhain’. This festival marked the end of the harvest season and the myth of the Celts held that the boundaries between the world of the living and the world of the dead were blurred somewhere during the evening of October 31. The Celts lit bonfires and disguises were worn to frighten away spirits.

Many years ago, the Christian church developed the evening of All Hallows’ Eve, the evening before All Saints’ Day. This has since been shortened to Halloween.

Tricks, Treats, and Traditions

The Halloween we know today, as a time when kids go door-to-door for treats dressed up in costumes and surrounded by jack-o’-lanterns, really found life in the 1800s when the traditions were imported by Irish immigrants to the American shores. Pumpkins became the gourds of choice for jack-o’-lanterns because they were easier to carve than the original turnips. Halloween became a full-fledged community event in the mid-1900s.

Halloween at AHJS

For AHJS, Halloween is all about expressing your personality and school spirit. This means getting to come to school dressed up in costume. From traditional witches and movie icons to homemade masterpieces, AHJS has seen it all. This day is full of laughs and surprises — but we have to behave and follow the dress code (which means no masks in the classroom. Sorry, zombies!). Even teachers get involved sometimes, adding a little more festive atmosphere to the classes because even math isn’t that intimidating when the teacher is dressed like a pirate. 

A Spooky Wrap-Up 

 Whether you celebrate Halloween for the costumes, the candy, or just the opportunity to get involved in something other than the norm, Halloween serves as a reminder that school spirit can shine as brightly (or frightfully) as one wishes. While the jack-o-lanterns  flicker and the sounds of Halloween giggling resonate through the halls of AHJS, one thing can be guaranteed: the Halloween spirit brings everyone together.

How do you celebrate Halloween? Get sorted into one of four houses with our quiz “Which Halloween Spirit are You?“