Celtic Influence

• Celtic ritualsan ancient perch image by David Woods from Fotolia.com
  
  The ancient Celts that inhabited Ireland, England and parts of France celebrated the end of summer and the beginning of winter on October 31. It was for them the celebration of Samhein (sow-in), in which ancestral ghosts returned to the living world and the spirits of recently departed traveled to the underworld. Some of the spirits were friendly, some mischievous and some were believed to be demonic.
  
  

Other Influences

• Bonfires are used to ward off spirits.Bonfire image by togepi from Fotolia.com
  
  Besides the Celts, other cultures carry the belief of a day that the dead are permitted to return and walk the earth. The Germans and Scandinavians celebrate Walpurgis Night, April 30, in which the chaotic spirits of the deceased. The Scots offered the term, all hallows eve, or Halloween. And the Catholic Church, under Pope Gregory IV, recognized November 1 and 2, as All Saints Day and All Souls Day, respectively.
  
  

Dia de la Muertos

• Skeletons were a popular mask.death mask image by paulo cruz from Fotolia.com
  
  The Mexican culture celebrates one of the most reverent occasions to the deceased. Adorning the body, lighting candles, and leaving pastries, bread and drink to assist the departed along their journey, a Mexican homage can last up to a month. To ward off the spirits that have returned to wreak havoc, people wore a mask to frighten away spirits. They believed the errant souls looking to torment the living would be warded off by the sight of an eerie mask.
  
  

Tradition Continues

• Masks come in all varieties.mask image by Lovrencg from Fotolia.com
  
  As cultures melded across America, each brought with them their own unique ingredient to the celebration of Halloween. Witch costumes were easy to embellish with the use of make-up, making a ghost costume was nearly effortless and papier-mache shaped many different creatures. With the development of plastics and rubber, mask production became easier and reached a greater audience with skillful marketing.
  
  

Today

• Masks generate big revenues each year.mask image by maya from Fotolia.com
  
  Halloween is the second most revenue-producing holiday of the year. As marketing continues to tap into a variety of sources, masks -- including comic book characters, superheroes and the bizarre and zany -- transform living spirits into a subconscious or an alter ego, celebrated once a year.