Where did Halloween originate from?

Summary

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"Where Did Halloween Originate From?" — Who Smarted? (Oct 31, 2025)

Episode Overview

In this spirited and laugh-out-loud episode, host Adam Tex Davis and trusty neighbor Addie (dressed as a cheese puff) embark on a trick-or-treating adventure that doubles as a crash course through the spooky, fascinating origins of Halloween. The episode masterfully blends humor, interactive trivia, fun sound effects, and rich historical storytelling to answer the question: Where did our Halloween traditions actually come from? Listeners discover how ancient rituals, medieval customs, and modern traditions all shaped the holiday kids (and adults) love today.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ancient Celtic Roots of Halloween

• Samhain – The Festival of the Dying Sun
  • Halloween traces its beginnings to the Celts over 2,000 years ago in Ireland, the UK, and France.
  • Samhain (pronounced “Sow-in”) marked the end of summer and the start of winter, a time linked with fear, death, and uncertainty.
  • [05:24] Adam: "Their new year started on November 1, the beginning of winter, which was when, sadly, a lot of people would die of disease and hunger and cold. It was a very scary time."
• Ghosts and Jack-o’-Lantern Precursors
  • Celts believed that the dead roamed the earth during Samhain.
  • Scary faces were carved—not into pumpkins, but potatoes or turnips—to fend off evil spirits.
  • [06:29] Addie: “Hey, just like Jack O lanterns.”
  • [06:31] Adam: “Exactly. They might have used pumpkins, too, except there weren’t any pumpkins in that part of the world.”
• Costume Origins & Fortune-Telling
  • People left food out for ghosts and wore ghost costumes to avoid being noticed by spirits.
  • Celtic priests (Druids) and common folk practiced fortune-telling on Samhain night.
  • [06:41] Adam: “If a Celt had to leave their house that night, they’d wear a ghost costume so the ghosts would think they were also a ghost and leave them alone.”
• Communal Rituals
  • Activities included bonfires, animal-skin costumes, fortune-telling, and lighting home fires from the communal bonfire for protection.

2. Roman and Christian Influence

• Roman Festivals
  • When Romans conquered the Celts (around 43 A.D.), they mixed in their own festivals, including:
    • Feralia: honoring the dead
    • A festival for Pomona, goddess of fruit and trees—possibly the root of apple-bobbing.
  • [08:16] Adam: "There was also a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of trees and fruit, which may be how bobbing for apples became a Halloween tradition."
• Christian Adaptation
  • By the 8th century, Pope Gregory III established All Saints’ Day (Nov 1), and “All Hallows’ Eve” (Oct 31) became “Halloween.”
  • All Souls’ Day (Nov 2) was added in the 11th century.
  • [08:57] Addie: “This is starting to get confusing.”
  • [08:59] Adam: "The point is, different cultures changed the names and traditions slightly...It was always about the beginning of winter and honoring the dead."

3. From "Souling" to Trick-or-Treating

• Medieval Traditions
  • Poor people would go house-to-house asking for food or money in exchange for praying for the family’s dead—a practice called “souling.”
  • [09:49] Addie: “Makes sense. But what about the candy?”

4. Halloween in America

• Colonial Adaptation
  • English, Irish, and other European immigrants brought their customs to America.
  • The holiday blended with Native American harvest celebrations, especially in the South.
  • [10:44] Brandon: "I'm really enjoying this multicolored corn they have. We should make a small, chewy, triangular candy based on it." (wink to candy corn)
• Jack-o’-Lanterns Get Pumpkins
  • The Irish, upon finding pumpkins native to America, began carving them instead of turnips.
  • [11:38] Adam: "Correct. Jack o' Lantern was born."
• Evolution from Spooky to Sweet
  • Originally centered on religious themes, honoring the dead, and surviving winter, Halloween in America gradually became more about celebration and fun.
  • By the early 20th century, it was associated with mischief and sometimes vandalism (“Mischief Night”).
  • [12:24] Adam: “Trick or treating probably started in the 1920s, but Halloween became associated with the tricks more than the treats…”

5. Modern Trick-or-Treat and Candy Craze

• Kid-Friendly Reinvention (1950s–1960s)
  • Towns encouraged children to go door-to-door in costumes for treats, redirecting Halloween from pranks to candy-collecting fun.
  • [13:05] Adam: "The 1950s and 60s is when trick or treating really became the biggest part of Halloween."
• The Business of Halloween
  • Americans now spend around $6 billion a year on Halloween, second only to Christmas.
  • [14:41] Adam: “The only holiday Americans spend more on is Christmas. And a quarter of all of the candy sold throughout the entire year is for Halloween.”
• Costume Boom—Even for Pets!
  • Not just for kids—now even pets get in on the costume fun.
  • [14:50] Addie: "My dog Juju’s going as Taylor Swift this year."
• The Spirit Remains Fun
  • Halloween transitioned from fear and superstition to community and fun, with spookiness served up in good humor.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [05:24] Adam:
  “Their new year started on November 1, the beginning of winter, which was when, sadly, a lot of people would die of disease and hunger and cold. It was a very scary time. The days were short. The night was black. The electricity didn’t exist yet.”
• [06:41] Adam:
  “If a Celt had to leave their house that night, they’d wear a ghost costume so the ghosts would think they were also a ghost and leave them alone.”
• [08:57] Addie/Adam Exchange:
  “This is starting to get confusing.” — Addie
  “I know, I know. The point is, different cultures changed the names and traditions slightly, mainly because they were trying to take over the previous culture. But what actually did on that day was always kind of the same.” — Adam
• [13:41] Adam:
  “Hey, smartypants, can you guess how much money Americans spend on Halloween every year? ... Try D, $6 billion. Whoa. Yeah. Whoa. The only holiday Americans spend more on is Christmas.”
• [15:08] Addie/Adam Exchange:
  "So let me get this straight. Halloween began as a way to deal with the scary reality of life. Then it kept evolving and changing as different cultures joined. Until it became more about fun and making money than beliefs. And then it stopped evolving." — Addie
  “Yep. Nailed it. Smart kid. Now, if you allow me, I will tell your fortune. I predict you’ll have an awesome night of trick or treating, after which you’ll eat one or two candies and brush your teeth very very well before you go to bed.” — Adam

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Fun Interactions & Trivia

• Listeners are invited to shout out their favorite candy [03:59].
• Periodic silly interludes: “It’s a giant talking cheese puff!” [03:02], “My dog Juju's going as Taylor Swift…” [14:50].
• Interactive quiz: Listeners guess US Halloween spending [13:41].

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Key Takeaways

• Halloween’s traditions stem from ancient efforts to face and understand the scary side of life—darkness, death, and winter—through community, ritual, and imagination.
• Over the centuries, the holiday’s customs evolved, blending Celtic, Roman, and Christian practices, and morphed in America into today’s candy-fueled, costume-packed celebration.
• While the roots are spooky and serious, modern Halloween is about fun, laughter, creativity, and—of course—candy.

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Suggested Listening Segments

• [05:00–07:35] — The origins of Samhain, jack-o’-lanterns, and costumes
• [08:14–09:49] — Roman and Christian influences, “souling,” and All Hallows’ Eve
• [11:36–12:24] — Pumpkins, the rise of Halloween in America, and the “mischief” years
• [13:05–14:35] — The trick-or-treat boom, modern candy traditions, and staggering Halloween statistics
• [15:08–15:22] — Recap and fun, fortune-telling finale

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Final Thoughts

This "Who Smarted?" episode captures exactly why Halloween captivates young minds: it’s a tale of mystery, transformation, and fun, told with wit, warmth, and irresistible interactivity. By the end, kids (and adults) are not just a little bit smarter—but also a lot more excited for their next spooky, sweet adventure.

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Transcript

[Adam Tex Davis]

Happy birthday to us. That's right. WhoSmarted turned five years old this month. How exciting. That's not all. WhoSmarted also reached 25 million downloads. And that's because of you, our Smarty Pants listeners. And to celebrate, we want to give you a gift. What is this gift you're wondering? I'm glad you asked. If you love WhoSmarted, I'm sure you've heard us mention our WhoSmarted plus subscription. You know, the one that gives you a brand new bonus episode every week, plus every episode of WhoSmarted. Trusty trivia and Smartyq's ad free. Not to mention subscribers directly support WhoSmarted. So we can keep making the show for many more years to come. And to show our appreciation to you, we're offering a 50% discount on our annual subscription. We've never done this before. Instead of $39.99 for a full year of smarting, you can subscribe to WhoSmarted plus for just 1998 a year. That's right. Who Smarted plus is half off? Quick quiz, smarty pants. Is 1998 a year the same as A, $1.67 a month, B, 38 cents a week, or C, a nickel a day? Did you say all of the above? You're right. Just think of all the time you'll save not listening to ads while enjoying subscriber only special episodes. That's got to be worth at least five cents a day, right? Of course, an offer this good can't last forever. So you must subscribe by November 15th to lock in your 50% off WhoSmarted plus subscription. Again, that's 50% off our WhoSmarted plus subscription, just $19.98 for the entire year by November 15th. To join the celebration, go to our website WhoSmarted.com and click Birthday Subscribe. This offer is only available directly through our [e-mail] don't worry. You can play your subscription, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any other podcast platform. But to get the special birthday price, you have to go to whosmarted.com and click Birthday subscribe in the top menu. But remember, you only have until November 15th, so sign [e-mail] today. Hey, smarty pants. I'm standing outside my house on a lovely fall evening. The leaves are just beginning to. Whoa. What was that? Did you say a cackling witch? Maybe it was just someone's grandma hearing a funny joke. Anyway, like I was saying. Boo. Ah. What was that? Did you say a ghost? Why do ghosts say boo? Maybe it was someone watching baseball. And their team is losing.

[Addie]

Anyhoo, trick or treat.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Ah, it's a giant talking cheese puff. That's even scarier than a witch or a ghost. Well, maybe not scarier, but definitely tastier.

[Addie]

It's just me, trusty narrator, your neighbor, Addie. I'm dressed as a cheese puff for Halloween.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Oh, I totally forgot it was Halloween. That also explains the witch and the ghost and the kid dressed as an Amazon delivery guy.

[Addie]

No, that is an Amazon delivery guy. I forgot to order my giant plastic pumpkin to put all my candy in. Can you sign for it? Cheese puffs don't have arms.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Sure. Here you go. Wow. That's a really big plastic pumpkin. Here you go. How are you gonna carry it with no arms?

[Addie]

Maybe you could carry it and come trick or treating with me.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Sure, why not? I'm just hosting a podcast. Anyway, what are your favorite candies?

[Addie]

Ooh, I like peanut butter cups, chocolate Rice Krispie treats. Sour Patch Kids.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Nice. Smarty pants. What are your favorite candies to get on Halloween? Shout em out. Oh, lots of good answers. And don't forget to brush your teeth tonight.

[Addie]

I won't. Ooh, there's a bowl of M and Ms. Across the street. Come on.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Coming. But first, have you ever wondered where the traditions of Halloween came from? Why do you trick or treat or dress up in costumes or carve pumpkins?

[Addie]

I have. In between eating as much candy as my mom will let me or until I barf.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Good, because we're about to answer those questions and more. It's time for another whiff of science and history. On.

[Brandon Boogeyman]

Who'S smarted. Who's smart? Is it you? Is it me? Is it science or history? Listen up, everyone. We make smarting lots of fun. On who's smartens?

[Addie]

Boo.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Like most holidays in America, Halloween comes from a mix of different cultures. To understand how these Halloween traditions began, we have to go back 2,000 years ago to a time when people called the Celts lived mostly in the land that we now call Ireland.

[Brandon Boogeyman]

Tope o the morning to ya.

[Addie]

Didn't some Celts also live in what are now the United Kingdom and France?

[Adam Tex Davis]

Why, yes, Addie, you are correct.

[Brandon Boogeyman]

Bonjour.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Anyway, their new year started on November 1, the beginning of winter, which was when, sadly, a lot of people would die of disease and hunger and cold. It was a very scary time. The days were short. The night was black. The electricity didn't exist yet. There often wasn't enough food. Let's face it, lots of people Back then, were very anxious as winter approached.

[Brandon Boogeyman]

It's so dark and cold, and I'm hungry, and me soccer team stinks.

[Adam Tex Davis]

The Celts called New Year's Eve, October 31, Samhain, the festival of the Dying Sun. Or occasionally, the Feast of the Dead. The word Samhain means summer's end. On this night, they believed the ghosts of the dead would return to roam the earth. So the Celts would carve scary faces into potatoes or turnips and put them by their windows and doors to keep the evil spirits away.

[Addie]

Hey, just like Jack O lanterns.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Exactly. They might have used pumpkins, too, except there weren't any pumpkins in that part of the world.

[Addie]

But what about trick or treating? Or wearing costumes? Where did that come from?

[Adam Tex Davis]

Ah, yes. The Celts would also put bowls of yummy food outside their houses to keep the ghosts happy. And if a Celt had to leave their house that night, they'd wear a ghost costume so the ghosts would think they were also a ghost and leave them alone.

[Brandon Boogeyman]

It's just me. Another ghost minding me business.

[Adam Tex Davis]

A boo. To celebrate this night, they'd build big bonfires and burn crops as a sacrifice to the gods. And they wore costumes made out of animal heads and skins.

[Brandon Boogeyman]

Is that you, Jasper, or is it an actual bear?

[Adam Tex Davis]

The Celts also thought that because spirits were wandering around, Celtic priests called Druids could predict the future on Samhain, which was important as the scary, uncertain wintertime began. And the regular folks would tell each other's fortunes that night, too.

[Brandon Boogeyman]

I predict you will meet a handsome lad at the festival and become the owner of a flower shop.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Then they lit their own fireplaces from the bonfire to protect them for what the winter had in store.

[Addie]

Uh, did I miss the part about the candy?

[Adam Tex Davis]

Getting to that. So then The Romans, by 43 A.D.

[Addie]

You mean the year 43. Like today, it's 2021. And this was 1970 eight years ago.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Yes, around 1970 eight years ago, the Roman Empire had taken over most of the Celts land, and they started to combine their own winter festival with Samhain. There was Firilia, a day when Romans honored the dead in late October.

[Brandon Boogeyman]

We honor you, O dead ones.

[Adam Tex Davis]

There was also a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of trees and fruit, which may be how bobbing for apples became a Halloween tradition. Mmm. Yum.

[Brandon Boogeyman]

A Granny Smith.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Eventually, the Christians took over from the Romans, and their traditions became part of the celebration, too. By the 8th century, Pope Gregory III made November 1st All Saints Day to honor saints and the Dead. And the night before became known as All Hallows Eve. And later, you guessed it, Halloween, which means Saints evening. Then in 1000 AD, they named November 2nd All Souls Day.

[Addie]

This is starting to get confusing.

[Adam Tex Davis]

I know, I know. The point is, different cultures changed the names and traditions slightly, mainly because they were trying to take over the previous culture. But what actually did on that day was always kind of the same. It was always about the beginning of winter and honoring the dead. There were bonfires and parades and dressing up in costumes. And when the Christians took over, there were more people dressing up as angels and devils, not just ghosts. And the poor would go from house to house asking for money or food.

[Brandon Boogeyman]

Hello, can you spare some money or food? Here you go, my friend.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Some families would hand out pastries called Soul Cakes, but only if the visitors promise to pray for the dead relatives of the family. They call this practice going a soling.

[Addie]

Makes sense. But what about the candy?

[Adam Tex Davis]

We'll get to that, I promise. Right after this quick break. Now back to who smarted?

[Addie]

Candy. Candy. Candy.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Yes, yes, yes. Okay, so you've learned how Halloween evolved in Europe. But how do you think it started in the place that we now call America?

[Addie]

I'm guessing from the English settlers who came over from Europe.

[Brandon Boogeyman]

Is that Plymouth Rock yonder?

[Adam Tex Davis]

Absolutely. But they didn't do it alone in the new America. The Protestants in the Northeast didn't celebrate Halloween much, but it was still a thing in the southern colonies. Over time, however, the settlers began to incorporate customs of all of the different ethnic groups that had come to America, including some customs of the Native Americans who were already here.

[Brandon Boogeyman]

I'm really enjoying this multicolored corn they have. We should make a small, chewy, triangular candy based on it.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Someday there were parties to celebrate autumn.

[Brandon Boogeyman]

Let us give thanks.

[Adam Tex Davis]

People would share stories of those who had passed long ago.

[Brandon Boogeyman]

The ancestor was attacked by a bear. He thought it was his friend Jasper.

[Adam Tex Davis]

End Ghost stories.

[Brandon Boogeyman]

And that's when we heard a loud boo.

[Adam Tex Davis]

There was singing and dancing.

[Brandon Boogeyman]

Check it out. It's the no electricity slide.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Eventually, as more Irish immigrated to america in the 19th century, Halloween became popular all over the country. Folks wore costumes, and since there weren't many turnips around, they began to carve something that's native to this land. Any guesses what it is?

[Addie]

Pumpkins.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Correct. Jack o' Lantern was born.

[Addie]

And they gave out candy.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Not quite. Definitely not like today. Halloween had been all about religious beliefs and death and winter and visions of the future. But eventually, in America especially, it became more of a family Community holiday. And its grim origins slipped away. It stayed spooky, but it certainly wasn't religious anymore. In fact, Halloween parties started to get kind of destructive. Trick or treating probably started in the 1920s, but Halloween became associated with the tricks more than the treats. In some places, the night before Halloween was called mischief night. Everything from soaping windows and and spraying shaving cream to throwing eggs and toilet papering houses, trees and bushes, to breaking things and setting fires. Vandalism. Not cool. In the 1950s, when there was a big baby boom and a lot more kids around, town leaders decided that maybe Halloween should be less about adults partying and more about kids.

[Addie]

Okay, I've got everyone's costumes. I've got a cowboy, a cowgirl, Zorro, Tarzan, Davy Crockett, and Annie Oakley. Ooh, Annie Oakley costume sounds cool. But what about the candy? Stop holding out on me.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Okay, okay. Like I said, the middle of the 20th century, the 1950s and 60s, is when trick or treating really became the biggest part of Halloween. Instead of the original tradition of the less fortunate going from house to house and asking for food, children would now go from house to house asking for treats.

[Addie]

Trick or treat.

[Adam Tex Davis]

And people would hand out sweets at first, baked goods and later, store bought candy so kids wouldn't play tricks on them.

[Addie]

Trick or treat. Got it. Not that I'd play a trick on anyone.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Of course you wouldn't. And lucky for you, kids, a lot of people like to give treats. Hey, smartypants, can you guess how much money Americans spend on Halloween every year? Between the costumes, the decorations, and the Candy, is it A, $6 million, B, $60 million, C, $600 million, or D $6 billion? Did you say $60 million? Nope. Try D, $6 billion. Whoa. Yeah. Whoa. The only holiday Americans spend more on is Christmas. And a quarter of all of the candy sold throughout the entire year is for Halloween.

[Addie]

That's crazy. And awesome.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Yep. Halloween went from real life spooky and actual scary to pretend spooky and fun.

[Addie]

Scary and eating candy.

[Adam Tex Davis]

And it's not just kids dressing up in costumes these days. People even buy costumes for their pets.

[Addie]

My dog Juju's going as Taylor Swift this year.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Of course she is.

[Addie]

So let me get this straight. Halloween began as a way to deal with the scary reality of life. Then it kept evolving and changing as different cultures joined. Until it became more about fun and making money than beliefs. And then it stopped evolving.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Yep. Nailed it. Smart kid. Now, if you allow me, I will tell your fortune. I predict you'll have an awesome night of trick or treating, after which you'll eat one or two candies and brush your teeth very very well before you go to bed.

[Addie]

Booo. Just kidding. That sounds wicked.

[Adam Tex Davis]

A spooky shout out to super Smarty fan Edward in Auburndale, Florida. You said the trusty narrator is the best narrator and is definitely trusty. Aw thanks Edward. You know how to make a trusty narrator happy. This episode Halloween was written by Lisa Sellan Davis and Athena Sherwin and voiced by Gia Goblin Davis, Brandon Boogeyman, Bayless Kim, Sweet Tooth Davis, Adam Trix Davis and Jerry Colbert. Technical direction and sound design by Josh Haunted Hahn who Smarted is recorded and mixed at the Relic Room Studio. Our associate producer is Monster Max Kamasky. The theme song is by Brian Black Cat Suarez with lyrics written and performed by Adam Tex Davis who Smarted was created and produced by Adam Tex Davis and Jerry Colbert. This has been an Atomic Entertainment production.