GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — We hope everyone had a happy and healthy Halloween weekend filled with lots of creative costumes and delicious candy.
FOX 17 Unfiltered wanted to help you learn a little more about the history of this holiday, scary story-style.
In order to do that, we have to take you back 2,000 years in the past.
Celtic culture commanded Western Europe at the time.
The Celts were known to have unusual traditions. They started their new year on Nov. 1 every year, signaling the end of summer and the beginning of a long, dark and cold winter.
On Oct. 31, they believed the living and dead were as close as possible. The dividing line between them essentially disappeared for one night.
For the Celts, this was cause for a celebration, putting together a frightening festival called Samhain (pronounced SAH-win).
The Celts burned crops and animals as sacrifices to the deities. The Celts themselves wore costumes that were made out of animal heads and skins.
Fast-forward to the eighth century, when Pope Gregory III made a proclamation: Nov. 1 is now called All Saints' Day.
Consequently, the night before shall be known as All Hallows' Eve, eventually becoming Halloween.
SEE MORE: Let's play Halloween High-Five with Todd, Michelle, and Davis