Dressed in their bunny outfits on Oct. 25, 1974, Warren and Missey (below) Millard, of Miami, Fla., are ready for a night of trick or treating on Halloween. [AP Photo]

Halloween didn't start in America. Like most of the holidays deeply ingrained in our culture, its roots stem from our ancestors who lived before the founding of the United States. Here's a handful of facts.

The Celts were the first to celebrate the end of October with a holiday called Samhain (pronounced So-in). They believed that summer ended on Oct. 31 and the long uncertain winter began. Summer and harvest were associated with life and winter and darkness with death. They also believed that the line between the mortal world and the immortal world was blurred on that night. They dressed in costumes to disguise themselves from roaming ghosts, ghouls and demons. Witches were suspected of turning themselves into black cats. Fortune telling, especially young maids attempting to identify their future husbands, abounded. Anything that brought bad luck, (spilling salt, walking under a ladder, etc.) was a bad omen for the beginning of the season of death.

The Roman Empire conquered the Celtic lands that are now Ireland. As the Roman Empire became Christianized, so their conquered lands followed. But the popes were uneasy with the residual Celtic superstitions and created a substitute holiday on Nov. 1. All Saints Day was a day to remember the Saints and martyrs. People were urged to dress as saints and angels.

Parties became the celebration of choice and celebrations attracted beggars. They promised to pray for the souls of dead ancestors in exchange for food or money. The activity of soliciting Hallowed Eve gifts was once called “going a-souling.”