These practices was carried out due to the thought of dead spirits returning.  Halloween symbols, customs, and practices undoubtedly have had a variety of influences upon Western culture throughout history.  We are still taught of zombies, the living dead, rewarding the ugliest most groceum dresser, high lighting satanic blood death and darkness.  So anyone that believes that this is a harmless day are unwitting participants in a world-wide deception of staggering proportions.  As Christianity spread across Europe instead of trying to abolish this pagan customer Christianity adopted this practice which people tried to introduce new ideas which would disguise the demonic origin whishing it would reflect "a more Christian world view"  However, in early American history, Halloween was not celebrated due to America’s strong Christian heritage. It was not widely observed until the twentieth century. It initially was practiced only in small Irish Catholic settlements, until thousands of Irish migrated to America during the great potato famine and brought their customs with them. To some degree, our modern Halloween is an Irish holiday with early origins in the Celtic winter festival Thus Halloween became a confusing mixture of pagan rituals, and Christian traditions, witches and witchcraft are the focus points of Halloween/Samhain.  In fact, virtually all the symbols associated with Halloween, Ghost, vampires, witches, goblins, ghouls, devils and demons.