Halloween through the ages

43 A.D. After the Romans conquered much of the Celtic territory, the pagan celebration of Samhain is integrated with Feralia, a Roman celebration of the dead.

609 Perhaps trying to find an alternative to Samhain, Pope Boniface IV establishes a feast day for all saints.

837 Pope Gregory IV standardises All Saints’ Day (also known as All Hallows’ Day) to honour saints and martyrs, on November 1. The night before is called All Hallows’ Eve, or Halloween.

1600 Puritans in New England, US, ban Halloween, along with Christmas and Easter.

Mid-1800s Well over half a million Irish migrate to the US after the Irish Potato Famine (1845-1852) and bring the holiday with them.

1908 The first Halloween greeting card is produced in the US. Today, Americans send more than 35 million each year.

October 31, 1926 Before escape artist Harry Houdini died on this day he promised to contact his wife “from the other side” during a séance held on Halloween. Since then? Not a peep.

1950 UNICEF begins a US programme to enlist trick-or-treaters to raise money. It has since raised more than US$144 million.

1997 Halloween celebrations begin in France. By 2006 French newspapers declared the fad morte (dead) in the nation, but stalwarts are keeping it alive.

2004 Deeming Halloween offensive to practising witches (Wiccans), the Puyallup school district in Washington bans Halloween from schools.

2009 Among the year’s most popular costumes: pop star Michael Jackson.