Editing Halloween (section)

=== Halloween Traditions ===
Over the centuries, Halloween has evolved, blending various traditions from different cultures. Here are some of the key elements that make up the holiday we know today:

==== 1. Trick-or-Treating ====
One of the most iconic Halloween traditions is '''trick-or-treating'''. Children dress up in costumes and go door-to-door asking for candy with the phrase "trick or treat." The origins of this custom date back to the '''All Souls’ Day parades''' in England, where the poor would go house to house asking for food in exchange for prayers for the dead. This practice was known as '''"souling."''' Over time, this evolved into trick-or-treating, with candy replacing food offerings.

==== 2. Costumes and Disguises ====
Costumes have been a part of Halloween since its earliest days. During '''Samhain''', the Celts wore animal skins and heads to disguise themselves from spirits. In the Middle Ages, people would dress up as saints, angels, or demons for '''All Hallows’ Eve'''. Today, Halloween costumes range from the terrifying to the playful, with people dressing up as everything from vampires to superheroes.

==== 3. Jack-o'-Lanterns ====
'''Jack-o’-lanterns''', carved pumpkins with eerie faces, are another hallmark of Halloween. This tradition began in Ireland, where people would carve '''turnips''' and '''potatoes''' as part of the Samhain celebrations. The legend of '''Stingy Jack''', a man who tricked the devil and was condemned to wander the earth with only a carved-out turnip to light his way, inspired the name "jack-o’-lantern." When Irish immigrants brought the tradition to America, they found that pumpkins were easier to carve, and thus the modern jack-o’-lantern was born.

==== 4. Bonfires and Apple Bobbing ====
Bonfires have long been a part of Halloween. During Samhain, bonfires were lit to ward off spirits, and people would throw the bones of slaughtered animals into the flames. Today, bonfires are more about community gatherings and fun. '''Apple bobbing''' is another popular game with roots in ancient Celtic traditions, where apples were used in divination practices to predict future marriages.