Halloween on 31 October: Origins and Events in Latvia
Halloween, which grew out of ancient Celtic festivals, is marked worldwide on 31 October, and interest in it is growing in Latvia too. The article recalls the holiday's history and lists Halloween events in Riga, Bauska and elsewhere in Latvia.
Halloween, observed worldwide on the night of 31 October, the eve of All Saints' Day, is celebrated ever more actively in Latvia as well. This is especially noticeable among children and young people, though adults are joining in too. Sweets and decorations in shops, whose range grows each year, reflect this.
Origins of the holiday
Historians say Halloween has its roots in ancient Celtic festivals. The Celts celebrated the New Year on 1 November, when the harvest ended and winter began, a season associated with hardship and death. They believed that on the night before the New Year the boundary between the living and the dead world blurred. This night was called Samhain. Offerings were made to spirits of the dead by bonfires, while the Celts themselves dressed up as animals and other creatures.
After the Roman Empire conquered Celtic lands, Druid traditions merged with Roman festivals, including the festival of Pomona, goddess of fruit. In the 19th century, descendants of the Celts took the traditions to America, where Halloween mixed with Native American customs and became one of the most popular holidays. In the United States it is the most commercially lucrative holiday after Christmas.
The English name "Halloween" is a contraction of "All Hallows' Evening". In Latvian, the form Halovīns follows the English pronunciation, though Helovīns is also acceptable.
Interesting facts
Black and orange dominate Halloween: orange symbolises strength and endurance, black stands for death and darkness. Although the pumpkin is generally seen as the holiday's symbol, the owl is popular in many places. The record for the fastest pumpkin carving is 24.03 seconds, held by Stefan Clark, who is listed in the Guinness Book of Records.
Events in Latvia
In Riga on 31 October there is a Science Theatre show with interactive experiments. Other offerings include a hike in the Raganas forest, a horror trail at Lake Ulbroka and a SUP paddleboarding trip in the Ķemeri bog. The Forum Cinemas chain is showing horror films at a special price of €6.66. The Cinevilla film park is open daily from 18:00 to 23:00, and a Halloween horror park operates in the Bauska castle ruins until 5 November.
