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Why Do We Celebrate Halloween?
Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics
Images, Videos & Interactives
Trick or treat!
Pumpkin jack-o'-lantern carved for Halloween, lit from inside with candles.
Bag of Halloween candies spilled from an orange bag.
Cartoon haunted house with cobwebs and broken windows, surrounded by jack-o-lanterns, bats, and ghosts. Quiz sections include Jack-o-lantern history, Trick-or-treating, Costumes and disguises, Modern Halloween, and Samhain and early Halloween. Text at the top reads Escape the haunted history.

Why Do We Celebrate Halloween?: References & Edit History

Article Contributors

Primary Contributors

  • Don Vaughan
    Don Vaughan is a freelance writer based in Raleigh, North Carolina.
  • The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
    Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.

Other Encyclopedia Britannica Contributors

Article History

Type Description Contributor Date
Added media. Oct 26, 2026
Revised the language surrounding Samhain. Oct 30, 2025
Article revised and updated. Oct 15, 2025
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Article History
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