People have been celebrating Halloween for centuries, but the idea of wearing costumes to celebrate this holiday is fairly new in the grand scheme of things. It started out with costumes for kids such as witches, ghosts, mummies, vampires, pirates and other scary creatures. There are also many benign costumes for kids such as ballerinas, princesses, animals, astronauts, knights and others. Adult Halloween costumes, however, have really become a focal point for this annual holiday because of all the parties and costume contests that grownups like to take part in. So just how did this holiday get its start?

Long before costumes were a part of the tradition, people celebrated Halloween as a Celtic and Druid religious holiday that would satisfy the gods and decry the devil on the one night of the year when the souls of the dead were believed to come out. There are historic origins to costumes for kids and adults, though, since people used to wear animal and plant skins to ask the gods for a plentiful harvest and hunting season, and provide protection from the wandering dead souls. Since Halloween falls right before the winter, it was important to ensure that there would be enough food to make it through the cold months.

Like all old traditions, the traditions of Halloween adapted over the years to suit the changing cultures of the times. During the latter part of the 19th century the religious aspects of Halloween were stripped away to make it a more inclusive holiday for everyone. This is particularly evident if you look at the history of the United States. The idea of anticipating a good harvest and protecting oneself from the souls of the dead was replaced with a family celebration that was largely centered on kids. This was also when trick or treating became a popular tradition.

Now there are literally hundreds or even thousands of children's and adult Halloween costumes to choose from. The holiday has become a celebratory time for everyone.