Just as Halloween has seen some evolution over the years, so have the holiday-themed Google Doodles presented each year on the Web. 

To get us in the mood for this year’s ghouls, witches, and spooky-themed Google Doodles, let’s take a quick dive into the history behind one of America’s most cherished holidays.

A Short History of Halloween

According to History.com, it is believed that Halloween originated from the Celtic festival of Samhain. Part of the ritual of this event was for people to light bonfires to ward off ghosts while wearing costumes.

Then, the eighth century marked the point when Pope Gregory III declared that November 1 was a day to honor the saints and martyrs, and became known as All Saints’ Day. This traditional also incorporated some of the features of Halloween.

However, what we know as Halloween today is much different. Today’s holiday brings to mind children dressed up as a character or profession, trick-or-treating, the carving of jack-o-lanterns, and adult Halloween parties for those without children.

Doodles of Halloween Past

Lucky for us, the official Google Doodles archive includes doodles from this year, as well as those from previous years, so we can take a look back at what the search giant has done in the past.

Below is a sampling of Google Doodles that have appeared previously on Halloween.

2014 Halloween Google Doodles

This year, Google reached out to a variety of artists to create a series of animated GIFs. Below you will find the six standout Halloween Google Doodles from 2014.

Which one is your favorite?

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