It all began with a bat. We're talking about the classic vampire story, of course. What else?
But Halloween is not just about vampires. Zombies, ghosts, pirates, and many other creepy creatures come together for this event that celebrates their eerie existence – many of them proud bearded individuals.
But where does Halloween come from? And what exactly is being celebrated?
Halloween may initially appear to be a relatively new tradition that simply involves dressing up in spooky costumes and having a scarily good time. This fearsome festival has a history that is older than any of the skeletons in your closet.
As early as 500 BC, the Celts celebrated the Celtic New Year on October 31. On this day, known as Samhain, it was believed that the worlds of the living and the dead would collide. The dead would try to possess the living to secure a life after death. The living had to disguise themselves as the dead, driving them away with terrifying costumes. However, this explanation for the origin of Halloween is controversial to many.
Other sources trace the origin of Halloween to church history. All Saints' Day (also known as Hallows Eve) is a celebration that honours saints and martyrs. Around 830 AD, Pope Gregory IV officially designated this holiday to be observed on 1st November with the following day observed as All Souls' Day.
All Souls' Day is a day to remember the souls that are in purgatory. It was long believed that on this day, the dead would return from purgatory for a short time to ask their relatives for intercession. People disguised themselves- similar to the Celts- to protect themselves from the dead. Over time, these two holidays merged into one.
The tradition of "trick-or-treating" likely originated from the practice of going door-to-door on All Souls' Day in England. Particularly among the lower class of the population, people would go from door to door begging for food. The offerings included special cakes called "soul cakes," which were promoted by the Church to replace the pagan tradition of leaving food and drink outside the door. As a thank you for the soul cakes, the poor would pray for the souls of the donors. Later, the tradition of going door to door for sweet treats would be adopted and continued by children around the world.
With these costumes for bearded individuals, you'll look frighteningly good.
Halloween is just around the corner again. As a proud beard wearer, you probably ask yourself every year what costume you can wear without having to shave off your facial hair. In this article, you'll find some ideas on how to perfectly integrate your beard into your costume.
Things are getting hot: The Lord of the Underworld!
When we think of Halloween, we think of monsters, ghosts, and demons. So, a logical costume choice is an absolute classic: the Devil!
Many classic depictions of the devil show him with a beard. Often, he sports a goatee or a ducktail beard. This is probably because Christian scholars intentionally incorporated features from Greek or pagan mythology into their depictions of evil and sin to vilify them.
But let's get back to the here and now. Here's how to perfect your devilish beard:
If you already have a ducktail or goatee, perfect! You already have that part of the costume covered. For the cherry on top, you can trim your beard to a slightly sharper point than usual. For this, the wireless beard trimmer from King C. Gillette is suitable, for example. This way, your beard can appear even more menacing.
Of course, you can also adapt your beard accordingly if you have a full beard or a three-day stubble. In the case of the latter, you should first grow a full beard. Then, you can trim it into the desired shape. Once your beard is ready, you can let your creativity run wild with red makeup. Add horns, red clothes, maybe a cape, and voilà!
Follow the dark power and become a sorcerer of the underworld
Another classic Halloween costume is a wizard.
Gandalf, Merlin, Dumbledore. They all have something in common. They're totally badass! But their beards also have some similarities. So, where does the image of a wizard with a long beard come from? Depictions of Celtic druids with robes, staffs, and beards can be found in history books from the 18th century.
However, it is also thought that Norse mythology was inspirational. Tolkien was a big fan, with Gandalf having strong parallels with Odin, the Norse God of death who often appears as an old man with a hat, long beard, and cloak.
In general, the long beard is considered a sign of wisdom, which surely also influenced this image.
If you want to be a doorman, no Balrog will get into the party!
In general, you should have a relatively long full beard of at least ten centimetres. You can spray it with washable white or grey colour and either comb it smooth or braid it. Keep in mind that braids can significantly shorten the beard length depending on the thickness of your hair.
Do you want to go as a classic wizard with a knee-length beard? If you don't already have an incredibly long beard, you'll probably have to resort to artificial hair, such as hair extensions. To avoid drawing any evil spirits, it's best not to steal your girlfriend's hair.
Alternatively, you can easily cover your actual beard with a fake beard. Combine it with a long robe and a gnarled staff, along with a wig of long grey hair, and you could easily pass for Merlin.
Set sail, cast off: Which sailor am I?
Whether you want to be a classic sailor with a chin curtain, Captain Blackbeard with a bushy beard, or a pirate king, as a sailor, you have endless possibilities to incorporate your beard into your costume. And who hasn't always wanted to summon dark forces from the depths of the sea!?
If you have a beard with sideburns or even a chin curtain, you can simply wear a typical yellow raincoat and maybe put a wooden pipe in your mouth. If you like, you can leave the contours a bit more unkempt and colour the beard with washable white paint.
If you prefer to be a pirate, the choice is yours. From a full beard to a braided chin beard, anything goes. Use Captain Jack Sparrow as your muse and let your creativity run wild. Work with decorative beads or similar jewellery that you can weave into your beard, making sure it looks untamed.
From a pilfering pirate, it's not a big leap to a vicious Viking. However, a longer beard is more suitable for this look. Keep the contours of your beard more defined when creating this look, for a more striking facial style. To make sure you have edges worthy of a Scandinavian warrior use King C. Gillette Double Edge Safety Razor.
Make sure to make others' hair stand on end
So, Halloween with a beard is not that difficult. Get inspired and don't let your beard suffer under your costume. Instead, use it to make a statement and you'll be ready for every spooky event in your calendar.
Now that your outfit is sorted, it's time to ready for your close-up with our ultimate guide to beards and selfies:
