Halloween costumes have been a fun tradition for all ages, and they have been around for as long as we can remember. Most of the time, kids, teenagers, and even adults will dress up as someone or something. Some individuals do it for fun and to take photos, while others, typically the younger kids, go trick-or-treating around town to gather some candy. But did you know that Halloween costumes actually date back thousands of years?
The Celtic pagan festival, as noted by historians, is believed to be the origin for Halloween costumes — this dates back to over 2,000 years ago. During this festival, the world gods would become “visible” to humans and they would disguise as certain things, whether it be animal skins and heads. Some even offered food and treats, which is like trick-or-treating we have today. October 31st was adopted as a holiday in the 11th century and the name “Halloween” originates from “All Hallows Eve”. Multiple traditions of this were passed down generation to generation, which includes the costumes. There is a whole bunch of underlying lore on Halloween costumes. Once the superstitions of it spread throughout America, all hell broke lose. Halloween is now arguably the second most celebrated holiday in the United States, only behind Christmas. Dressing up in costumes is usually the peoples’ favorite part; it gives everyone an excuse to go all out for a day. A good place to find Halloween costumes is the Spirit Halloween store as well as Party City. Numerous other retail stores sell costumes, such as Walmart, Target, and every other little store you’d spot at South Hills Village.
Overall, Halloween costumes have been a #1 favorite tradition for most on the accompanying holiday. Most people don’t realize that there is history behind it and that someone didn’t wake up one day and decide, “let’s dress up on Halloween for no reason.” Halloween is less than 3 weeks away — remember to put on your best costume for the once-a-year event!
