Halloween might mean a night of relentless doorbell rings and handing out candy, or if you are lucky enough to still have trick-or-treaters of your own to take around, a night of scaring your nieghbors with your little goblins, but this Holly day is steeped in tradition.

All Hallows' Eve gets its contraction "Halloween" from the "eve" or "even", both abbreviations of evening. It's the eve before All Hallows' Day, perhaps better known as All Saints Day.

Rooted in Celtic origin, All Hallows' Eve was the one day a year that the dead could come back and mingle with the living. Jack-o-lanterns and bonfires were lit to safeguard the living from the spirits.

For an interesting history of how the Catholics commandeered this day to prevent the Pagan holiday celebration, here's a great link.

Be safe, and have fun.

Happy All Hallows Eve!