What are the origins of Halloween?

Why do we carve pumpkins, wear costumes, and go trick-or-treating? The traditions of Halloween feel timeless, but their origins are a fascinating story of ancient spirits and clever rebranding. In this episode, we pull back the veil and journey 2,000 years into the past to the Celtic festival of Samhain, when the line between the living and the dead was believed to blur. Discover how a pagan new year was absorbed by the early church, how American teens' "Mischief Night" was tamed into trick-or-treating, and hear the original Irish folktale of Stingy Jack that gave us the Jack-o'-Lantern.