According to a recent Twitter poll run by ABC, 44% of Americans believe Halloween is a celebration, while only 27% believe it’s a holiday. While originally pagan, Halloween took on significance in Christian times as a celebration before All Saints Day—a major liturgical holiday. Irish and Scottish immigrants brought the custom over to the United States.
Holiday or celebration?
The distinction between holiday and celebration is loose, but those who argue that Halloween is a celebration point to the fact it is not an official religious or federal holiday—US employers do not compensate workers for Halloween, and it finds no recognition in any Christian denomination.
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