Halloween Started as a Way To Communicate With the Dead. Now We Have Estate Planning

This time of year is fun for Halloween parties and trick-or-treating, but have you ever wondered how these spooky Halloween traditions started? Why do we dress up in costumes? Why do we give treats? Why do we carve jack-o’-lanterns? What is our fascination with a connection between the living and the dead? Learn how the celebration of Halloween originated from the time of the druids.

The History of Halloween: From Samhain to All Saint’s Day

The origins of Halloween began with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced “Sah-win”). This was a celebration at the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. The Celts believed this was also a time when the dead could come back to Earth. They wore costumes and lit bonfires to shield themselves from the spirits. The Celts also had a tradition of placing food and drink as offerings to the spirits in hopes they would have a good harvest in the next year.

As Christianity spread through Europe, it altered many pagan traditions, including Samhain. The Christian church created All Hallows’ Day (now known as All Saints Day) on November 1st to honor dead saints and martyrs. All Souls’ Day on November 2nd was a day for prayers for all the deceased. They intended to substitute the pagan festival for more religious observances.

However, the people kept to their traditions, and the day before All Hallows’ Day, October 31st, became All Hallows’ Eve, now known as Halloween. During All Hallows’ Eve, Irish and Scottish people continued to wear disguises and carved pumpkins and turnips into lanterns to ward off evil spirits. The giving of “treats” is rooted in both Celtic and Christian traditions of appeasing spirits and giving gifts or food to the needy.

Honoring the Dead in Many Cultures

The Mexican holiday of “Dia de Los Muertos” originates from Mesoamerican civilizations such as the Mayan and Aztecs. They held rituals and made offerings to celebrate the lives of their ancestors. When the Spanish Conquistadors came to Mexico in the 16th century, they brought their Catholic traditions of All Saints Day and All Souls Day. The mixing of cultures led to the modern tradition of honoring the dead and welcoming back the spirits of their deceased loved ones.

All these holidays and observances involve communication with those who have gone before us, and it can make you think about how you want to be remembered after you die. Estate planning is a critical step in providing for your family, protecting your dependents, and honoring your final wishes.

What Is an Estate Plan?

An estate plan is a set of legal documents that outline your wishes for your care and the care of your loved ones when you are not around. Estate planning documents include:

• A Will. A will is your instructions on how you want your money and property distributed to your beneficiaries. You can also name someone to manage your estate as your personal representative or executor and name guardians to care for your minor children.
• A Power of Attorney. A Power of Attorney (POA) allows you to name someone you trust as your agent to handle your legal and financial decisions if you can’t due to an incapacity such as dementia or being in a coma.
• A Health Care Directive. A health care directive or living will allows you to specify what medical care you want to receive and to name someone to make medical decisions for you when you can’t.

Estate planning can be easy: contact an estate planning attorney or use online estate planning services.

How Do You Want To Be Remembered?

By putting together a comprehensive estate plan, you can communicate to your loved ones that you are providing for them. By expressing your wishes, you also take the burden of your family members to figure out what you would have wanted after you are gone.

As these holidays celebrate the connection between the living and the dead, estate planning is also a way to communicate and bond with those you leave behind. So maybe it is time to put more thought into making a will than creating your Halloween costume.

Related Resources

• Estate Planning Resources (FindLaw Legal Forms & Services)
• Halloween Tips: Six Laws to Keep Your Halloween Party Legal (FindLaw Law and Daily Life)
• Halloween Safety Tips (FindLaw Law and Daily Life)