Trick or treat? This Halloween 2022 you can look forward to both! The date is fast approaching, and everyone is going to be planning what they're going to wear and what they're going to do.
It's a fun-filled holiday that all the kids love. But it's not just for the little ones, of course – it's the perfect time of year for all of us to indulge our inner child and get a little spooky!
Do you ever wonder what Halloween is all about? Why do all the ghosts and ghouls come out at this time of year? And what's on the cards for Halloween 2022? No need to fear – Trip.com is here with the full lowdown on the spookiest festival of the year!
He's making the effort for Halloween 2022 – so should you! Source: Karsten Winegaar / unsplash
When is Halloween 2022?
Halloween falls on the 31st October every year. Followed by All Hallow's Day on 1 Nov and All Soul's Day on 2 Nov, this is a trio of days known collectively as Allhallowtide.
For Halloween 2022, 31st Oct is a Monday. That won't matter too much for the kiddies, who'll be off school anyway. But for the late-night Halloween party revelers, there might be a few sore heads in work on the Tuesday morning!
The Origins of the Halloween Holiday
Halloween has its roots way back in the mists of time, in a blend of European pagan and Christian practices. As mentioned above, the word "Halloween" is a contraction of "All Hallow's Evening", referring to the day before All Hallow's Day.
All Hallow's Day itself is traditionally when Christians will remember the saints, and pray for the recently departed whose souls have not yet reached Heaven. Feasts like this – including Easter and Christianity – often have vigils that begin the night before.
A traditional vigil is usually marked by remaining awake, reciting prayers and devotions, and engaging in silent contemplation and meditation. Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve is a well-known example of a vigil, which is what Halloween originally represented, too.
The Christian roots of the Halloween 2022 festival can be traced back at least to the 9th century, when churches in monastic centers likes Ireland and Northumbria were paying tribute to saints on 1st Nov by the year 800.
What would happen during the vigil of All Hallow's Eve?
After the Reformation in England, official celebrations of Catholic beliefs like purgatory came to an end. Instead, they were celebrated in unofficial ways, especially by the lower classes. Those who held to the old traditions – whether from faith or from superstition – would bake and share out bread called "soul cakes" in memory of the dead.
Over a period of three centuries, this ritual transformed into a day when the poor would have license to go from house to house asking for food or alms. And here you can see the origins of today's Halloween 2022 ritual of "trick or treat"!
What's most interesting is just how important the festival is to us Americans, especially compared to the much tamer version of it that you find across the pond. This can be explained by the huge waves of Irish migration into America during the 19th century and thereafter. Unlike the reformed English, the Irish immigrants brought with them an intense dedication to the festival – and it's that dedication that has spread across the nation right up to the present day.
Bring on Halloween 2022!
A pretty good haul! Source: Ksenia Yakovleva / unsplash
What is the Meaning of Halloween 2022?
Halloween presents an interesting combination – the day is half about socializing with friends and neighbors, and half about trying to scare the life out of them! So what is the meaning behind the unique rituals associated with Halloween 2022?
It was an 18th century belief in regions of England and southern Scotland that All Saints' Night and All Souls' Night were popular occasions for supernatural forces – especially evil forces – to come out to play.
For this reason, households would put food out to bribe any witches who might come calling. They would fill up their keyholes with salt, and lock up all their farm animals safely – except for one cockerel, who unfortunately would be sacrificed to propitiate against any evil.
Along with trying to ward off all these evil spirits, groups of boys and girls called "mummers" would troop around the villages acting out folk tales and knocking on people's doors. They would dress in all manner of odd costumes – sometimes dressing as tramps, sometimes dressing as the opposite gender, and, most significantly, sometimes imitating the evil spirits themselves!
Especially in places like Wales, these young mummers could be quite fearsome to people – terrifying children, being insolent to adults, and drawing the animosity of the police! Way back then, Halloween could be a seriously spooky festival…
And of course, what do kids do when pretending to be evil? They play pranks, of course. In 18th century Ireland, Halloween was known as "Mischief Night", and in Scotland these feral youth would be chased by the police for throwing rotten cabbages at people's farm doors!
This is the original meaning behind the fancy dress that we see at Halloween today. It's a way for us to bond with one another and feel safety and comfort by making fun of the spooky things that scare us.
The Halloweens of years gone by... Source: Unseen Histories / unsplash
Some of the Best Halloween 2022 Traditions
Pumpkin Twins Source: Bekir Dönmez / unsplash
Kids will very often make these at home with the family or in groups of friends, and set them out on the porch to burn through the night. This is the modern way the Hallow's Eve vigil is marked! But of course, it also has its roots deep in European history.
When the kids in rural areas would go out on the evening of mischief, they would use these jack o lanterns to light their path. They were originally carved from turnips or mangelwurzels, which is a root vegetable related to the beetroot.
Once the festival was brought to the shores of the New World, the turnips and mangelwurzels were quickly replaced by our native pumpkin. With growing US cultural influence over the 20th Century, this traveled back across the Atlantic as a universally-accepted and ubiquitous symbol of the Halloween 2022 festival.
A happy Halloween pumpkin. Source: Robert Linder / unsplash
There's also a whole bunch of traditional games you can play on Halloween 2022. Many of these games involve divination – fortune-telling! It goes without saying, on a night when the ghosts and ghouls are walking the earth, all sorts of supernatural practices might be feasible…
A very simple game of this kind is the hiding of various objects in a cake or a pie – an apple pie, for example. Those biting into the pie will have their fortunes told by the particular object they encounter. If one finds a ring in their mouth, it foretells a marriage. If you find a coin in your mouth, then great wealth will be on its way to you!
Finally, one of the most fun Halloween 2022 traditions will be the bonfire and fireworks show. This is a great time for all the family and friends to get together and keep warm as the evenings get darker and colder. Sip some hot chocolate (or something stronger), and enjoy the lights and heat of the bonfire and fireworks.
Celebrating Halloween with a bonfire. Source: Issy Bailey / unsplash
Great Ideas for Halloween Costumes
Now you know, when you dress up for Halloween 2022 you are participating in a festival that stretches back generations – so make sure to do your ancestors proud!
Of course, there are the classic Halloween 2022 fancy dress options. You'll see witches, vampires, werewolves, zombies, and all kinds of ghosts, ghouls and monsters. Some will take inspiration from some of the great horror movies that have become staple Halloween viewing over the years.
The red nail varnish really makes this Halloween costume pop. Source: Nika Benedictova / unsplash
Why not try couples Halloween costumes this year?
One way to really stand out from the crowd for Halloween 2022 is to get dressed up with your significant other. As you can see from the image below, it's a really striking way to make an impact at the Halloween party!
From the scary (vampire lovers, Gomez and Morticia, or the classic spooky skeletons) to the silly (Mr and Mrs Potato Head, anyone?), there's so many great choices. Even better if you can do something that's totally original, totally unique! People will be talking about it for Halloweens to come, and it'll make for some great photo ops on the night.
Even spooky skeletons find time for romance... Source: Ryan Gagnon / unsplash
Need Some Good Ideas for Halloween 2022 Activities?
If you're at a loss for what to do over Halloween 2022, then look no further. Of course there's a bunch of exciting things happening across the nation over the spookiest of holidays, and Trip.com are here to introduce the very best of them.
Nightmares in New Orleans!
If you're down near Louisiana, you'll know there's always scary stories and spooky goings on around the bayou. New Orleans still boasts some of that Old World charm, grandeur, and decadence, and great ghost stories are a big part of that.
It's not called "America's Most Haunted City" for nothing, and you'll have the chance to hear all of the juiciest, most bone-chilling tales on this on a Haunted French Quarter Walking Tour in New Orleans.
Screams in San Diego!
California, on the other hand, has a perfectly sunny reputation – blue skies, golden beaches, beautiful surfers catching the waves. Nothing spooky could be going on here, right?
Just take the Haunted Gaslamp True Crime Tour in San Diego, and see how wrong that is. This is a tour that focuses on some of the creepiest real-life events that have gone on in San Diego, a city known as the "birthplace of California".
You'll gasp when you learn about the seedy origins of the Balboa Theatre, a former vaudeville house. You'll shriek when you hear about the strange occurrences at Prohibition Lounge, a 1920s themed lounge built beneath the old city morgue! You'll break into a cold sweat when you're told of the violent history of Ghirardelli's Ice Cream and Chocolate Shop!
Shrieks in Chicago!
Take it up a notch in Chicago this Halloween 2022 with a 3-hour ghostly bike ride through some of the Windy City's most haunted spots. Bobby's Fright Hike is a guided tour through all the most paranormal and freaky places Chicago has to offer.
Your own comfort bike will be provided, and your friendly guides will keep you at ease, even when you're getting spooked senseless!
You'll hear the tragic history of the John Hancock Center. On the banks of the Chicago River, you'll hear the horrific tale of the SS Eastland, whose shipwreck claimed more lives than the Great Chicago Fire.
Even more thrilling than that, you'll have the chance to go ghost-hunting at the Congress Plaza Hotel. Reputed to be the most haunted hotel in the world, certain rooms on the 12th floor have even been sealed off from the public, so as to trap any lingering spirits inside.
This was the hotel that inspired famous horror writer Stephen King to write the short story 1408, which was later turned into a fantastic movie starring John Cusack. Why not enjoy the movie while you're there? What could possibly go wrong…
Haunted houses are especially scary at Halloween. Source: Eleanor Brooke / unsplash
Mayhem in Miami!
Down Florida way, you can always count on Miami to throw a special kind of party. This Halloween 2022, you can join the Spook at Sea bash with Poseidon Ferry!
Dance all night to DJ Oscar spinning discs and taking requests (get ready to do the Monster Mash…), win prizes for your costumes, and make the most of the full service bar on board the ship. Any excuse for an all night party!
Peril in Pennsylvania!
If Trip.com's guide through the history of Halloween has piqued an interest in you, this Halloween 2022 be sure to check out the Castle Halloween Museum in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
This is a private museum owned by Chris Russell and Pamela Apkarian-Russell, the "Halloween Queen". They have filled this residence in Altoona with over 35,000 pieces of Halloween paraphernalia, dating from the 1890s onward.
Terror in Texas!
Down in Waxahachie in the Lone Star State you'll find the awesome Screams Halloween Theme Park – it'll make your blood run cold! If haunted houses are your thing, you'll be right at home in spooky company here.
From 30th Sep to 29th Oct, Screams are promising the ultimate Halloween 2022 experience – a total of 5 haunted houses, each with their own theme, as well as food, drink, games and a DJ all on offer.
Their haunted houses will truly make your blood curdle on Halloween 2022. With scary circuses, terrifying time-travel, medieval madness and hell-raising hillbillies, Screams Halloween Theme Park in Texas is one of a kind.
Beware the witches at Halloween... Source: Paige Cody / unsplash
Thinking About Halloween Decorations?
Kitting out your house for Halloween 2022 is a lot like choosing the right outfit. It's gotta be tailored just right for you, your family, and – most importantly – all the neighborhood trick-or-treaters!
And if you've read down to here, you'll know what the mischief-makers need most of all – that's a jack o lantern to light their mischievous paths. String them up around the home, set some real carved pumpkins out on the porch, and they'll know they can expect some treats.
What other decorations might come in useful for Halloween 2022? You can expect to encounter quite a few witches during this period. They might bring their broomsticks, they might bring their black cats – but they'll also expect to see a cauldron or two, hopefully filled with candy or chocolate… Don't disappoint them, they will have special powers…
Finally, you'll want to create that special spooky atmosphere with the right kind of lights. Of course, fairy lights make us feel warm and cozy at Christmas time, but at Halloween you'll be looking for something a little bit different. Try bathing your home in a monstrous green, or a devilish blood red, and the neighborhood ghouls will think twice about bringing any mischief your way.
A well-decorated spooky house for Halloween. Source: Kenny Eliason / unsplash
Halloween Movies Worth Watching
Unlike Christmas movies, Halloween movies are worth watching all year round. But of course we can make a special effort for Halloween 2022! No matter what age you are, there's a whole bunch of great movies that will give you that spooky feeling.
One for the young kids
There are some classic spooky stories aimed at kids. For some ghostly fun with a little comedy and some wholesome reflections on life and friendship, Casper (1995) is a great choice.
Casper, a lonely young ghost who haunts an old house with his three horrible brothers, makes attempts to befriend the daughter of a famous ghost hunter. Hijinks ensue! While so many movies aimed at kids are filled with meaningless nonsense, films like Casper strike a perfect balance between fun, frights, and a positive message.
One for the older kids
We mentioned above that the clown Pennywise from It is a popular choice for Halloween costume. It was another story from the master of horror Stephen King, and it's recently been turned into a spectacular two-part movie.
It's a great story for older teens, depicting the coming-of-age of a group of disaffected youths in small-town America and how they band together to battle an ancient force of evil that dwells there. It's a force of evil that likes to take the shape of whatever a kid fears most – quite often, that's the shape of a creepy clown!
Best viewed with your hands over your eyes! Enjoy it this Halloween 2022.
Pennywise the clown. Source: Nong V / unsplash
One for the adults
There's so many great horror movies, it's almost impossible to choose just one. But for a great blend or horror, humor, slapstick, and stomach-churning gore, you can't go wrong with Evil Dead II.
Don't worry that it's a sequel. This is the totally stand-alone tale of a romantic vacation in the woods gone horribly wrong, when the boyfriend (foolishly) unleashes the forces of Hell...
Made in the days before CGI technology was widely available, Evil Dead II uses stop motion animation and prosthetic and practical effects to make your jaw drop wide. People lose their heads. A demon-possessed arm is removed and replaced with a chainsaw. The eyeballs of the undead fly across the room.
You won't know whether to laugh, or hide behind the sofa! Great cult viewing for horror aficionados this Halloween 2022.
Halloween 2022 – Filled with Fun and Frights!
Halloween 2022 is the best of holidays. You don't need to buy a lot of presents, the movies are better, and there's just as much candy and chocolate involved!
It's also a festival steeped in tradition – Christian and pagan, British and American – that reminds us to face the winter, and to face death, with a smile on our faces. It is truly the most human of holidays. Make sure you check out Trip.com to see the full range of what's on offer this coming Halloween 2022.
FAQ
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When is Halloween 2022?
Halloween 2022 is on 31st October 2022, which is a Monday. See Trip.com for things to do!
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What are the origins of Halloween?
The origins of Halloween are in the Christian festival of All Saints' Day, when believers pray to the saints and for the souls of the dead. See Trip.com for Halloween activities.
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What are some Halloween traditions?
Popular Halloween traditions involve carving pumpkins, going trick-or-treating, bobbing for apples, and wearing fancy dress. See Trip.com for things to do on Halloween!
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Why do people wear costumes on Halloween?
Wearing costumes on Halloween began as a way to impersonate the evil spirits that were believed to come out over the All Saints' festival. See Trip.com for places to go in fancy dress!
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How do people decorate their homes on Halloween?
People will often decorate their homes with lights, jack o lanterns, witch's cauldrons, and other spooky things on Halloween. See Trip.com for things to do over the Halloween festival.