Halloween in AmericaNo. 7013 · The 2026 edition
Death Makes a Holiday: A Cultural History of Halloween
Uncover the hidden history and macabre origins of Halloween in this fascinating exploration.
Our own summary of the original — the full post and photos live at en.wikipedia.org.
A deep dive into the cultural evolution of Halloween, tracing its roots from ancient Celtic festivals to modern-day celebrations, and examining how death and the supernatural have shaped this popular holiday.
About this
This is a Wikipedia article about David J. Skal's 2002 nonfiction book Death Makes a Holiday: A Cultural History of Halloween. It supplies the book's bibliographic details, a summary of its look at Halloween's history and rituals, and its critical reception. The page also notes other works that cited the book and links to a related bibliography.
The list
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Death Makes a Holiday: A Cultural History of Halloween 2002
Nonfiction by David J. Skal on Halloween's history, rituals, myths, horror films and haunted houses.
Facts from the original
- Death Makes a Holiday: A Cultural History of Halloween is a 2002 non-fiction book by David J. Skal.
- It was published by Bloomsbury USA on September 21, 2002, in the United States.
- The book is a 224-page hardcover in English.
- Its ISBN is 9781582342306.
- Its primary subject is Halloween, and it is classed as non-fiction.
- The book explores Halloween's dark Celtic history and why the holiday evolved.
- The author traveled throughout the United States and asked people what they thought of Halloween.
- People covered in the book include those who go to extraordinary lengths, businessmen who see Halloween in terms of money, and practicing witches.
- The book tries to explain what many rituals and traditions say about people's psyche.
- It discusses topics such as myths, horror films, and haunted houses.
- A review in The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror called the book an entertaining dissection of the holiday, written by a pop culture expert.
- The reviewer said they were hooked from the first chapter, which explores the urban myth of poisoned and booby-trapped candy.
- The book was used as a reference in Salem: Place, Myth, and Memory; The Cute and the Cool: Wondrous Innocence and Modern American Children's Culture; and From Shaman to Scientist: Essays on Humanity's Search for Spirits.
From the original
The book examines the history of Halloween, tracing its dark Celtic roots and explaining why the holiday evolved over time. Skal traveled across the United States, interviewing a range of people about how they view Halloween, including enthusiasts who go to extraordinary lengths, businessmen who treat the holiday as a money-making opportunity, and practicing witches. Through these encounters the book considers what the many rituals and traditions of Halloween reveal about the human psyche, touching on subjects such as myths, horror films, and haunted houses.
