Show notes
A debate over whether Halloween is pagan survival, Christian vigil, immigrant folk festival, modern commercial holiday—or all of those at once.
Episode 1 of The Depths of Halloween. Elias, Mara and the Archivist debate the history, folklore and modern claims behind What Is Halloween, Really?. The production distinguishes documented history from folklore and later reinterpretation where the evidence is uncertain.
Estimated scripted runtime: about 16.8 minutes before performance pacing.
Topics in this episode
- The single-origin problem
- Samhain and All Hallows
- America remakes the holiday
- What counts as authentic?
Sources and further reading
- Library of Congress: The Origins of Halloween Traditions
- Library of Congress: Halloween: Topics in Chronicling America
- Smithsonian Magazine: The Celtic Origins of Trick-or-Treating
- Smithsonian Magazine: When Halloween Was All Tricks and No Treats
- HISTORY: How Jack O’Lanterns Originated in Irish Myth
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