Halloween Day: Are you scared of this holiday? You may have Samhainophobia. Here's what it means

Halloween Day is celebrated on October 31 each year. It originated from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter.  

Who were the Celts? 

The Celts, who lived about 2,000 years ago in what is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, believed that on the night of October 31, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred, allowing spirits to cross over. 

How did Halloween Day come into being? 

When Christianity spread through Celtic lands, the church established All Saints' Day (or All Hallows' Day) on November 1, making October 31 All Hallows' Eve, which eventually became Halloween. 

Use of the two colours 

Orange and black became Halloween's traditional colours for symbolic reasons: orange represents the harvest and autumn season, while black represents darkness and death. These colours were particularly meaningful to the ancient Celts who saw this time as the boundary between life and death. 

Traditions across the world 

Mexico's Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) celebrations overlap with Halloween, occurring on November 1 and 2. While often confused with Halloween, it's a separate holiday celebrating deceased loved ones. 

Trick or Treat! 

The first written use of "trick or treat" in North America appeared in 1927 in Alberta, Canada. Before this phrase became popular, children would perform songs, poems, or jokes in exchange for treats. 

What happens in Scotland? 

In Scotland, fortune-tellers suggested that a young woman pick a hazelnut for each of her potential suitors and toss it into the fireplace. The nut that burned to ashes without popping was thought to represent her future husband. In some versions of the story, though, the nut that burned away meant that the love wouldn’t last. 

Also read: Diwali 2024: Interesting facts about the festival of lights

Samhainophobia  

Samhainophobia is known as the fear of Halloween. While most people enjoy the spooky festivities, some individuals experience genuine fear and anxiety about this holiday. The term comes from combining Samhain (the Celtic festival) with phobia. 

Many people with samhainophobia, or fear of Halloween, have experienced a past traumatic event related to it. Therapies like exposure therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, and hypnotherapy can help treat samhainophobia. Around 9 per cent of American adults and nearly 20 per cent of teenagers experience a specific phobia, like samhainophobia, at some point in life, and these disorders affect nearly twice as many women as men.