Every culture going back to ancient times celebrates the change of Summer to Fall. Halloween, a holiday we currently celebrate during the Fall equinox, has specific rituals with ancient roots that keep hold even to this day. While it is a holiday shaped by horror, it is all in good jest. It is a holiday of candy, ghouls, horror, and great costumes. How did this unique set of traditions take shape? Where did the elements of Halloween come from?
Samhain is a holiday celebrated by the Celtic Pagans going as far back as 5,000 years and possibly more. In fact, it is so old that it was celebrated before the Celts even migrated to Ireland. Many Halloween rituals come from this three-day celebration. Samhain, pronounced SOW-hen, marked the Celtic new year. It was celebrated around the change of the season, not necessarily the same calendar date every year. The celebration started based on the seasonal change, whenever it occurred. During that sacred change of season, the veil would thin between this world and the Otherworld. In Celtic mythology, the Otherworld contained the spirits of the fae folk, mythological beings, and deities both good and bad. The fae folk and those in the Otherworld could walk among the mortals, and if a person wasn't careful, they might find themselves in an unearthly place during those three days. To protect themselves from dangerous fae, some carried talismans or wore certain things a fae would like in order to mask themselves as one of the fae folk or seem friendly to them. The celebration kicked off with bonfires and big feasts, as the coming cold winter promised only minimal food. While animal sacrifice was often thought to be performed by the Celts during this festival, in actuality, livestock was herded from the highlands to be slaughtered to store for the upcoming winter. Often offerings to the gods or fae took the form of baked breads and other treats. The celebration was three days of our Halloween, Thanksgiving and New Years rolled into one.
Samhain has much lore associated with it through hundreds of years of celebration. One goddess, “The Morrigan,” is known as the goddess of Death, Fate and Victory in battles, and often was celebrated in this time. The Morrigan is also known as the ‘phantom queen’ or the ‘queen of the fae folk.’ Sacrifices and offerings were dedicated to The Morrigan to ensure good will and safe fates for the New Year.
Many Irish, Scottish, Welsh and English cultures passed some of these rituals down. Many were brought to the US during the great migration, and some were replaced with elements of our own culture. Turnips shaped for the Wil’ O Whisps, a spirit in the bogs of the UK, eventually became a Jack O’ Lantern. Souvenirs and talismans worn during Samhain would become a costume. Costume lore changed to fit a more Christian image of evil spirits and ghosts, eventually even becoming characters based in fiction and then any costume of the imagination. Candy being given freely is probably the most widespread culture during the harvest in many cultures. Everyone having a feast and celebrating is a consistent element during the Fall equinox.
One of the most striking things about this season is it is a celebration of fun and gathering. No matter how terrifying and scary we find the elements of death and facing mortality, it is often a fun holiday of the celebration of the unknown, our dead loved ones, terror remedied by togetherness, and the surplus of food before the cold sets in. Whether you celebrate Samhain, the Christian All-Saints day, The Mexican El Dia de los Muertos, the Japanese Higan, or The Moon Festival, coming together to celebrate the passage of time and the old ways is something we can all hope never goes out of style. We adapt new rituals to these holidays, but continue to keep the meanings of celebrating creativity, fun, and those who have passed through the veil of time.
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