Participants dress up as Japanese animation film characters during a Halloween costume competition to celebrate Halloween day in Jakarta on October 31, 2009. Halloween -- a named taken from 'All Hallows' Even' falls on the day before All Saints' Day on November 1 -- a holiday when Christians remember their deceased loved ones. Although the fete is largely devoid of religious meaning today, its antecedents are in fact pagan, with origins in ancient Celtic observances marking the end of summer and, some say, paying homage to the netherworld. Getty Images logo Getty Images 1 month ago

Participants dress up as Japanese animation film characters during a Halloween costume competition to celebrate Halloween day in Jakarta on October 31, 2009. Halloween -- a named taken from 'All Hallows' Even' falls on the day before All Saints' Day on November 1 -- a holiday when Christians remember their deceased loved ones. Although the fete is largely devoid of religious meaning today, its antecedents are in fact pagan, with origins in ancient Celtic observances marking the end of summer and, some say, paying homage to the netherworld.

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