Halloween costumes are
costumes worn on or around
Halloween, a festival which falls on October 31. An early reference to wearing costumes at Halloween comes from
Scotland in 1585, but they may pre-date this. There are many references to the custom during the 18th and 19th centuries in the
Celtic countries of Scotland,
Ireland,
Mann and
Wales. It has been suggested that the custom comes from the Celtic festivals of
Samhain and
Calan Gaeaf, or from the practise of "
souling" during the Christian observance of
Allhallowtide. Wearing costumes and
mumming has long been associated with festivals at other times of the year, such as on
Christmas. Halloween costumes are traditionally based on frightening supernatural or folkloric beings. However, by the 1930s costumes based on characters in mass media such as film, literature, and radio were popular. Halloween costumes have tended to be worn mainly by young people, but since the mid-20th century they have been increasingly worn by adults also.