Tis the season to beware of lingering ghosts, witches, warlocks and other hideous creatures.

It’s also the only time of year children can dress up in costumes and ring strangers’ doorbells asking for candy.

Halloween has been a custom in the United States for years and although the history of the holiday can be found at any local library, many people do not know about its origin.

According to encyclopedias, the present-day Halloween is suspected to have originated more than 2,000 years ago from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, the Celtic lord of death.

The Celtic new year was celebrated Nov. 1 and the evening before the new year, the Celts held a festival honoring Samhain.

It was believed that on this evening, Samhain allowed the souls of the dead to return to their earthly homes. However, along with the souls of the good, the souls of the wicked were released as well.

In order to scare away these evil spirits, the Druids (priests and teachers of the Celts) built large bonfires made of oak branches. The people then would burn animals, crops and sometimes people as sacrifices.

During the celebration, people would dress in animal skins and would have their fortune told from the remains of the animal skins they sacrificed.

About 800 A.D., the church named Nov. 1 All Saints Day in order to continue the festival they celebrated before they became Christians. The Mass on this day was called “Allhallowmas.”

The evening before All Saints Day was therefore called “All Hallow e’en,” or “Halloween.”

The Halloween custom followed settlers from the Celtic countries to the United States.

However, it was not celebrated until the 19th century because of other settlers’ religious beliefs.

During the 1800s, children would go from house to house asking for candy or playing small pranks on those who did not give candy.

Today the tradition continues.