Where does the word Halloween come from?

Halloween, or All Hallows' Eve, falls on the night of 31 October, in anticipation of All Hallows' Day (1st November).

It has emerged from a combination of Christian and pagan traditions.

Etymology

• Hallow is the Old English word for saint.

• Halloween is a Scottish variation dating back to the 1700s. The 'een' suffix contracts 'evening'. 'Hallowed evening' or 'holy evening' was later understood to mean eve or 'night before ', as with Christmas Eve 

• All Hallows Day is now called All Saints' Day in the Catholic calendar. It commemorates Christian martyrs
   

• All Souls Day follows on 2 November. On All Souls Day Catholics pray for the 'souls of the (faithful) departed'.

Photo by Tony J on Unsplash

Halloween FAQ - brief history of Halloween customs - free 3 min read

Halloween often features in Victorian ghost stories. Read and/or listen to E. Nesbit’s ‘Man-Made-in-Marble’ retold here.