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THE HISTORY OF HALLOWEEN
H
alloween had its beginnings in an ancient, pre-Christian Celtic
festival of the dead. The Celtic peoples, who were once found all
over Europe, divided the year by four major holidays. According
to their calendar, the year began on a day corresponding to
November 1st on our present calendar. The date marked the
beginning of winter. Since they were pastoral people, it was a time
when cattle and sheep had to be moved to closer pastures and all
livestock had to be secured for the winter months. Crops were
harvested and stored. The date marked both an ending and a
beginning in an eternal cycle.
The festival observed at this time was called
Samhain
It was the biggest and most significant holiday of the Celtic year.
The Celts believed that at the time of Samhain, more so than any
other time of the year, the ghosts of the dead were able to mingle
with the living, because at Samhain the souls of those who had
died during the year traveled into the otherworld. People
gathered to sacrifice animals, fruits, and vegetables. They also lit
bonfires in honor of the dead, to aid them on their journey, and
to keep them away from the living. On that day all manner of
beings were abroad: ghosts, fairies, and demons--all part of the
dark and dread. The Celts celebrated their New Year on
November 1st. It was celebrated every year with a festival and
marked the end of the "season of the sun" and the beginning of
"the season of darkness and cold." The Celts believed, that during
the winter, the sun god was taken prisoner by Samhain, the Lord
of the Dead and Prince of Darkness. On the eve before their new
year (October 31), it was believed that Samhain called together
all the dead people. The dead would take different forms, with
the bad spirits taking the form of animals. The most evil taking