Halloween not for everyone

Did you know, that generally – Halloween isn’t celebrated by Jamaicans, for a variety of reasons.

Halloween Originated

Halloween originally began as a Christian festival called All Hallows Eve (or All Saints Day), intended to honor the dead, including saints and martyrs. The Catholic Church established All Hallows Eve during the Middle Ages to counteract the pagan Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the end of the harvest season on October 31st.

Celebrated for over 2,000 years, the festival underwent significant changes after being “Americanised,” including a name change and a shift in focus.

Related: Christmas In Jamaica

New Halloween

In came the new name, Halloween – and a more commercial aspect along with it too. And along with these changes, came the differing points of view.

Older generation Jamaicans, especially those still residing in the Caribbean, will often have nothing to do with the festival, believing that dressing up as witches and ghosts is akin to devil worship. Some people, no matter where they live, may tolerate the festival but feel alienated by unfamiliar and irrelevant practices like ‘trick or treat.’

Ultimately, the ‘festival’ has no roots in Caribbean or Jamaican folklore. Therefore, for many, it just passes by unacknowledged. In that case, we advise simply shutting your curtains, turning off the lights, and letting it all carry on without you!