Halloween has its origins as a celtic festival, known as Samhain. This festival was to celebrate the beginning of the second half of the year and involved lots of activities around fire, spirits, costumes and more. Most of the more modern Halloween traditions began in the old English era and many still remain to this day. The original Samhain festivals often used costumes that people would dress up in to ward off spirits. These fancy dress costumes were black or white with hoods and masks. Masks and Halloween costumes have been maintained as a tradition since old English times and these days there is a huge industry in Halloween Costumes and masks!
Some other traditions still exist, such as candles in windows (which originated by Irish and Scottish people) to honour their dead.

But what about pumpkins? Carving pumpkins seems like a fairly strange tradition, and this is true. It started in the old ages with carving of turnips and other vegetables, often with faces on them. In North America, the tradition continued with another vegetable that was plentiful and easy to carve - the pumpkin! Halloween traditions mixed with a growing market for a Halloween costume have kept Halloween alive and strong in many countries. In 2006 the estimated spending in North America on Halloween costumes was $4.96b. Its a big market!

Popular Halloween costumes usually include Witches, Devils and other 'dark' characters that are more befitting of something traditionally scary to ward off evil spirits. I wonder how many people even realise why they look to a buy scary costume for Halloween these days?

Over the years though, costume choices have changed to include just about anything, and far more creative.

So next time you celebrate Halloween, and are looking to buy an adult costume for it, think about the ancient rituals from which it started.