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the form of cats. On October 31st after the crops were all
harvested and stored for the long winter the cooking fires in the
homes would be extinguished. The Druids, the Celtic priests,
would meet in the hilltop in the dark oak forest (oak trees were
considered sacred). The Druids would light new fires and offer
sacrifices of crops and animals. As they danced around the the
fires, the season of the sun passed and the season of darkness
would begin.
When the morning arrived the Druids would give an ember from
their fires to each family who would then take them home to start
new cooking fires. These fires would keep the homes warm and
free from evil spirits. The November 1st festival was named after
Samhain and honored both the sun god and Samhain. The festival
would last for 3 days. Many people would parade in costumes made
from the skins and heads of their animals. This festival would
become the first Halloween
.
During the first century the Romans invaded Britain. They
brought with them many of their festivals and customs. One of
these was the festival know as Pomona Day, named for their
goddess of fruits and gardens. It was also celebrated around the
1st of November. After hundreds of years of Roman rule the
customs of the Celtic's Samhain festival and the Roman Pomona
Day mixed becoming a major fall holiday.
The next influence came with the spread of the new Christian
religion throughout Europe and Britain. In the year 835 AD the
Roman Catholic Church would make November 1st a church holiday
to honor all the saints. This day was called All Saint's Day, or
Hallowmas, or All Hallows. Years later the Church would make
November 2nd a holy day. It was called All Souls