Halloween folk legends started many years ago, and most of them are still popular today!

Halloween is an annual holiday with its roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts lived in parts of what is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France.

The celebration marked the end of the summer and the beginning of the winter. It was believed that during this time, the boundary between the living world and the other world was blurred, and spirits returned to earth.

History of Halloween

The history of Halloween goes back centuries. Many European and American cultures celebrated this holiday by dressing up their pets, holding "play parties," and sharing stories of the dead and fortunes. The celebration included stories of ghosts, mischief, and mischief-making in Colonial times.

By the 19th century, the festival had spread across the country, but it was not a significant holiday.

Halloween continued to evolve from the Celtic tradition of honoring the dead.

The Celtic peoples once lived in many parts of Europe, and their calendar was divided into four major holidays, starting on November first.

People often feared the dark and believed ghosts returned on this day. This tradition led to the custom of wearing a mask to ward off ghosts and spirits.

By the 19th century, trick-or-treating was a popular tradition. In addition to making and eating spooky treats, people would gather around pumpkins.

This allowed people to give each other food and drink while sharing the spirit of the dead.

Halloween has evolved throughout the centuries to become one of the year's biggest holidays, with more than a few traditions adapted from other cultures.

In Halloween folklore, a witch may be seen as a frightful figure.

Baba Yaga is one of the most well-known witches in Halloween folklore. The legendary witch has spooked children throughout Eastern Europe.

One of her most famous stories involves a wicked stepmother. She sends her stepdaughter, Vasilisa, to the witch, thinking that this will be the last time she sees Vasilisa.

The stereotypical image of a witch is based on the pagan goddess called the "crone." The crone was honored on Samhain, the harvest festival, representing wisdom and the seasons' turning.

Over time, that image has evolved into the frightening witch we know today. The broomstick a witch rides on also has its roots in medieval myths.

Initially, older women accused of witchcraft rode walking sticks through the woods but later replaced them with brooms.

Historically, African American communities believed that witches could be either women or men.

One popular story based on a shape-changing witch is the "Master and Pupil" tale, which combines personal experience and traditional ballads.

The vampire has always been one of my favorite Halloween folk legends.

Vampires are supernatural creatures with the ability to transform human bodies.

While they usually live in coffins, they can also be active during the daytime when the weather permits them. Garlic and crosses often repelled them, but this is just in the movies.

While most vampires prefer the blood of human victims, some also prefer animal blood.

Vampire myths have been around for centuries. They first came about in ancient Greece.

Ancient Greek stories described ghouls eating human flesh and draining the living of vitality.

Vampires are thought to have emerged from the graves of the dead and feed on the living by drinking their blood.

These ghouls have long teeth and pale skin. Some believe they were fallen angels who chose to fall farther and mate with human women.

The most common method of killing vampires is stabbing them with a wooden stake through their hearts.

Other methods include exposing them to sunlight or burning them with fire.

Vampires also require the consent of humans before entering their homes.

A werewolf is a mythical creature that only appears at night. These creatures can change into a wolf and are known to devour anything that gets in their way.

This mythical creature has a long history and continues influencing Halloween folklore and popular horror fiction.

During the Middle Ages, the church often depicted wolves as evil. They were considered the servant of Satan and were often the villain in children's tales.

In the medieval period, the church even forced people to confess to being werewolves, but in the 17th century, werewolf trials were stopped.

In European folklore, werewolves are described as shape-shifting monsters who change into a human and a wolf at will.

Herodotus wrote that a tribe known as the Neuri could transform into wolves.

And the Vikings' tales about Ulfhednar also bear a resemblance to modern werewolves.

Ulfhednar wore wolf skins during battle and channeled wolf spirits to increase his strength.

Throughout history, many cultures have used mummification to preserve their dead. This process was popular during the time of King Tut and was considered a ritual for the dead. This practice was so common that it became an iconic image in modern folklore.

Zombies are creatures that have been trapped in death. They are a frightening sight and are said to walk the earth, killing as many humans as they can.

There are many folk legends about zombies, including voodoo and Haitian culture. The word zombie is not new, however, and is thought to be derived from ancient African voodoo.

In Haiti, zombie stories date back to the 17th century.

These stories cite the creation of zombies from voodoo rituals. These rituals used herbs, bones, animal parts, and other objects. The goal was to make the victim confused and incapable of walking.

There are many stories about creepy clowns in Halloween folklore, but not all are true.

Clowns aren't the most frightening things in the world, but their presence on Halloween is often associated with mischief. They're also associated with darkness and can even induce homicidal impulses.

Despite these negative connotations, there's no denying that clowns are an integral part of the Halloween experience.

But how did clowns become such a big part of Halloween? It's unclear how this happened, but the trend likely started when a serial killer dressed up as Pogo the Clown for children's parties. As a result, clowns have become an object of suspicion.

Although some people don't have a fear of clowns, a majority of people find clowns to be unsettling and annoying. Clowns' sporadic behavior and ability to scare children make them a popular part of Halloween, and children may even dress up as clowns on Halloween.

The devil is often associated with the holiday of Halloween. 

The Devil, or Satan, is a supernatural being in many religions. He is most well-known in the Christian tradition, where he is a character similar to the gods of Greek myth.

Throughout history, various cultures have molded and changed the Devil's image. He is usually portrayed as the antithesis of good.

The Devil has been a prominent character in American and European folklore throughout the centuries.

He is often depicted as a horned, red-skinned man with a trident.

Other representations of the Devil include Stingy Jack, who tricks people into believing in him and stealing their souls in exchange for wealth. This version of the Devil is often considered a variation of the Faust legend, which states that a person may sell their soul to the Devil for wealth but must be willing to live in hell for 20 years.