The History of Halloween Colors: Why Orange and Black Rule the Season
- Lyle Perez
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
When you think of Halloween, certain images instantly appear, pumpkins glowing on porches, spooky shadows in the night, and candy spilling out of trick-or-treat bags. But just as iconic as the costumes and decorations are the colors that define the season: orange and black. Have you ever wondered why those two colors became so deeply tied to Halloween? Their history is older, richer, and more meaningful than you might expect.
Orange represents the harvest. Long before Halloween became the holiday we know today, autumn was celebrated through festivals like Samhain, an ancient Celtic tradition marking the end of the harvest season. Orange pumpkins, golden leaves, and autumn crops all symbolized abundance and the changing of the seasons. Over time, this connection between orange and the fall harvest carried over into Halloween imagery, especially when the pumpkin became a central symbol of the holiday.
Black represents darkness and the unknown. Samhain was also believed to be the time of year when the boundary between the living and the dead was thinnest. Nighttime, shadows, and death itself became central themes of the festival. As Halloween evolved, black carried over as the color of mystery, ghosts, and the supernatural. It represents the side of the holiday that leans into fear and the unknown. Together, orange and black perfectly balance Halloween, the warmth of harvest and the chill of the dark.
Over the years, other colors have also joined the Halloween palette. Purple became popular as a symbol of magic and mysticism, often tied to witches and sorcery. Green has been used to represent monsters, poison, and eerie glowing light. White often shows up in the form of ghosts and skeletons. But despite these additions, orange and black remain the undisputed leaders of Halloween’s color scheme.
So when you’re hanging up decorations or carving a pumpkin, remember that those colors aren’t just random choices. They carry centuries of meaning, connecting back to ancient traditions and the spirit of Halloween itself.
That’s just a quick overview of how Halloween colors became what they are today. On the latest episode of The Halloween Podcast, I dig deeper into the history, folklore, and symbolism of orange, black, and the other colors that make Halloween so instantly recognizable.