The Origin of Halloween

Every year, on October 31, Halloween is celebrated. The word derives from the junction of the words hallow (holy) and eve (eve), as it occurs the day before All Saints’ Day.

© Joana Nogueira


The celebration arose from a Celtic festival in Ireland and the British Isles, which celebrated the end of summer with Samhain, a time when the dead were believed to return home to visit family members and to look for food. The festival marked the beginning of the New Year, when the good harvests of the year were thanked.
The Celtic people had some rituals that are still maintained today, such as the well-known “sweetness or treat”, trick or treat in English, where people offered food, in order to appease the spirits. Currently, the activity is celebrated by children who, dressed up in Halloween costumes, walk through the neighborhood doors, while asking “trick or treat”. If the person does not offer a sweet, the children do some mischief in the house.
It was the Great Famine, which took place in Ireland in the 19th century, which caused a strong immigration to the United States of America, which took this tradition to Uncle Sam’s lands, where it spread and reached the popularity that remains to this day. of today.
It is common for people to decorate the house with pumpkins and mask themselves strictly, especially with costumes related to witches, skeletons, vampires, ghosts.

Casa do Carnaval, Travessa Nova de São Domingos, Lisboa, Portugal

CASA DO CARNAVAL

BaixaWe are a centennial house, with a shop in downtown Lisbon since the year of foundation, in 1889. A pioneer in the country and one of the oldest in Europe, Casa do Carnaval is recognised as an importer and exporter with a wide variety and quality of festive products, from costumes to face-painting and decorative items. Here you will find everything you can imagine to make your party an unforgettable moment!

Find more

Márcia in Tivoli BBVA Theater

The singer Márcia will take the stage of the Teatro Tivoli BBVA to present her most recent album “Picos e Vales”, on the 7th of December, at 9 pm. The artist promises an emotional, intimate and impactful show. Tickets cost between €15 and €25 and can be purchased on the official website of Teatro Tivoli […]

City of Zero at the Pavilhão do Conhecimento

Cidade do Zero arrives at the Knowledge Pavilion from the 8th to the 10th of July with the mission of teaching the little ones habits of a sustainable lifestyle. Several faces known to the general public, brands and projects will take care of the workshops, lectures and the sustainable market that will invade the Pavilhão […]

Cuca Monga Festival

On the 1st of October, Alvalade will host the first edition of the Cuca Monga festival, which brings together 6 groups for a day full of Portuguese music. Captain Fausto, Luís Severo, Rapaz Ego, Conjunto Cuca Monga, Catarina Branco, Atalaia Airlines and B1SPHØ are the artists who will perform at the festival, starting at 3:30 […]