萬聖節主要流行於英語世界，如不列顛群島和北美，其次是澳大利亞和紐西蘭。下面是小編跟大家分享有關於萬聖節的簡介，一起來看看吧!
Halloween is one of the oldest holidays with origins going back thousands of years. The holiday has had many influences from many cultures over the centuries. From the Roman's Pomona Day, to the Celtic festival of Samhain, to the Christian holidays of All Saints and All Souls Days.
Hundreds of years ago in what is now Great Britain and Northern France, lived the Celts (凱爾特人), who worshipped (崇拜) nature and had many gods, with the sun god as their favorite. They celebrated their New Year on November 1st which was made every year with a festival and marked the end of the "season of the sun" and the beginning of "the season of darkness and cold."
On October 31st after the crops were all harvested and stored for the long winter the cooking fires in the homes would be extinguished (消失). The Druids, the Celtic priests, would meet in the hilltop in the dark oak forest (oak trees were considered sacred). They would light new fires and offer sacrifices of crops and animals. As they danced around the fires, the season of the sun passed and the season of darkness would begin.
When the morning arrived the Druids would give an ember from their fires to each family who would then take them home to start new cooking fires. These fires would keep the homes warm and free from evil spirits.
The November 1st festival was called Samhain (pronounced "sow-en"). The festival would last for 3 days. Many people would parade in costumes made from the skins and heads of their animals. This festival would become the first Halloween.
The Celtics would carry a lantern (燈籠) when they walked on the eve of October 31. These lanterns were carved out of big turnips (大頭菜) and the lights were believed to keep the evil spirits away. Children would carve faces in the turnips. These carved turnips were called "jack-o-lanterns.
It is said that the "jack-o-lantern" got its name from a stingy (吝嗇的) and mean old man, named Jack, who when he died was too mean to get into heaven. When Jack went to hell he was meet by the Devil who gave him a piece of burning coal and sent him away. Jack placed the burning coal in a turnip to use as a lantern to light his way. The legends claim that Jack is still walking with the lantern looking for a place to stay.
When the early settlers came to America they found the big round orange pumpkin. Being larger and much more colorful than turnips, the pumpkin made great "jack-o-lanterns". Eventually the pumpkin would replace the turnip. Eventually the Pumpkin would become the most widely recognized symbol(象徵)of the Halloween holiday.
The history of "Trick'O'Treating" can be traced back (追溯) to the early celebrations of All Soul's Day in Britain. The poor would go begging and the housewives would give them special treats called "soulcakes". This was called "going a-souling", and the "soulers" would promise to say a prayer for the dead.
Over time the custom changed and the town's children became the beggars. As they went from house to house they would be given apples, buns (圓形的小甜麵包), and money. During the Pioneer days of the American West, the housewives would give the children candy to keep from being tricked. The children would shout "Trick or Treat!".
【萬聖節傳說】一種認為，這個節日起源於基督教誕生前的古西歐國家中的德魯伊特人。德魯伊特的新年在十一月一日，新年前夜，德魯伊特人讓年輕人集隊，戴著各種怪異面具，拎著刻好的蘿蔔燈(南瓜燈是後期習俗，古西歐最早沒有南瓜)，他們遊走於村落間。
這在當時實則為一種秋收的慶典;也有說是“鬼節”，傳說當年死去的人，靈魂會在萬聖節的`前夜造訪人世，據說人們應該讓造訪的鬼魂看到圓滿的收成並對鬼魂呈現出豐盛的款待。所有篝火及燈火，一來為了嚇走鬼魂，同時也為鬼魂照亮路線，引導其迴歸。
第二種認為這個節日來源於天主教會。兩千多年前，歐洲的天主教會把11月1日定為“天下聖徒之日” (ALL HALLOWS DAY) 。“HALLOW” 即聖徒之意。傳說自公元前五百年，居住在愛爾蘭、蘇格蘭等地的凱爾特人把這節日往前移了一天，即10月31日。
他們認為該日是夏天正式結束的日子，也就是新年伊始，嚴酷的冬季開始的一天。那時人們相信，故人的亡魂會在這一天回到故居地在活人身上找尋生靈，藉此再生，而且這是人在死後能獲得再生的唯一希望。
而活著的人則懼怕死魂來奪生，於是人們就在這一天熄掉爐火、燭光，讓死魂無法找尋活人，又把自己打扮成妖魔鬼怪把死人之魂靈嚇走。之後，他們又會把火種燭光重新燃起，開始新的一年的生活。傳說那時凱爾特人部落還有在10月31日把活人殺死用以祭奠死人的習俗。
第三種說法也和凱爾特人有關。凱爾特人(Celtic) 相信太陽神幫助他們種植農作物。但是，每年太陽神都會被一個名叫Samhain的邪惡力量攻擊並被囚禁六個月。
凱爾特人非常害怕10月31日的夜晚，因為他們覺得這晚，有一堆邪惡靈魂潛伏在任何地方。他們相信是邪惡力量Samhain把死人叫出來的，還相信 Samhain會把死人變為其他東西，好像貓。
凱爾特人會在家生起火、裝著可怕的偽裝來把邪惡靈魂趕走。後羅馬佔領了凱爾特人的土地，把羅馬的節日和凱爾特人10 月31日的Samhain祭典合在一起，成了現在的萬聖節。
