Halloween, the holiday known for dressing up and going door-to-door looking for candy, was not always known for this. Halloween which roots from an ancient Celtic festival called Samhain. Samhain (pronounced “SAH-win”) is a pagan religious holiday that celebrates the end of summer and the beginning of winter. It spans from October 31st to November 1st though many celebrate for the entire week of Halloween.
Samhain marks the end of the summer, the harvest season, and the beginning of winter; it is also known as the Celtic New Year, or Witch’s New Year. The Celts, associated with death, believed that the veil between the living and the dead was the thinnest on these days which allowed spirits to visit the living. This veil being thin is both a good and bad thing, the Celts believed that if you prepare and welcome them properly it can welcome deceased loved ones, but if you don’t welcome the spirits properly, then you could let evil spirits in.
Have you ever wondered how some of the traditions of Halloween came to be? Most of them originated from this ancient holiday! When the holiday first started, people who celebrated would carve scary faces on turnips to scare away evil spirits, over the years people would stop using turnips and start using pumpkins like we do today. Originally, people would dress up their kids in disguises so they would blend into any wandering spirits and remain safe. Besides just dressing their kids up, certain people would dress up in various outfits and go door to door to perform for people on October 31st and November 1st.
Although these may seem very familiar, there are plenty of traditions that aren’t as well known. Examples would be honoring ancestors by creating an altar, creating wreaths, dumb supper (a dinner eaten in complete silence to honor ancestors), and so many more. Besides Halloween, a presentation for this in the media is the 2007 horror movie “Trick ‘r Treat”. This movie is about a demon who goes after people who do not follow the rules of Halloween. Although the movie is not fully accurate, it was inspired by the ancient holiday.
Today, many people still celebrate Samhain, but the celebrations are more laid-back. Many people mostly celebrate by having a thought-out family dinner and putting up pictures of family who have passed. Most people who still do the traditional Samhain celebration still participate in Halloween activities. A lot of people today recognize Halloween as a fun but spooky holiday, but there is so much more history than is commonly known!