By: Rhiannon Cook

Just as the season of autumn reaches its peak, the well-known and loved celebration of Halloween rolls around. People have their costumes planned weeks in advance, adorn their houses with spooky decorations, and look forward to an evening of coming together, having fun, and receiving sweets. But as much as the holiday is anticipated and enjoyed, how much do people actually know about Halloween’s origins and its development over the several centuries it has been observed? It has a long history, with variations in purpose and ways of celebrating.