Ever wonder how and when the mischief and reverie of October 31 got its start? Halloween, along with some other modern-day celebrations and holidays, is rooted in ancient traditions and customs, specifically the Celtic festival of Samhain. The origin of Halloween can be traced to the Celtic peoples who settled in Britain and central Europe around 1,000 BC. The ancient Celts, and other Nature peoples, Wiccans, and Pagans around the world, maintained important turning points in the natural farming world with the belief that nature is a circle, with no beginning, and never ending.
Roots
For many ancient calendars, the Summer and Winter Solstices, and the Spring and Autumn Equinoxes are the cornerstones of a year. The Celts further identified the festivals of Imbolc, Beltane, Lammas, and Samhain as the major markers of the changing seasons. Imbolc, falling at the beginning of February, is associated with the birth of young animals and the arrival of Spring. Beltane, celebrated on May 1, is one of the “fire festivals,” announcing the end of Winter. Lammas, at the beginning of August, marks the start of the harvest. Samhain, the other fire festival, concludes Summer.
This eight-stage cycle is the root of our Western calendar traditions, onto which later holidays, such as Christmas and Easter, have been grafted. In examining the influence of ancient traditions, we recognize our connection with nature’s endless cycle and clearly see parallels from ancient cultures to modern.
The Halloween-Samhain Connection
The festival of Samhain (pronounced “SAH-win”) marks the Celtic New Year and many of Halloween’s familiar traditions of today evolved from the festival’s customs. Signifying the end of summer—the “light half” of the year, Samhain heralds the beginning of winter, the year’s complementary “dark half.” Though celebrated on November 1, the festival started on the evening of October 31, the time of year when the Celts believed spirits walked the Earth. Black and orange are acknowledged as the traditional Halloween colors as these two colors were part of the Samhain festival. For the Celts, black symbolized the “death” of summer, while orange represented the harvest season’s autumnal hue.
Trick-or-Treat, Scary Pumpkins, Disguises
Several other modern Halloween practices draw from ancient times. The trick-or-treating tradition seems to have a few different theories to its beginnings. One origin points to the Christian practice of Soul-Caking held on All Soul’s Day (November 2). Soul Cakes were given to the beggars who wandered around on All Souls’ Eve and offered to say prayers for a family’s departed. Elsewhere, the cakes were given to mummers, costumed performers who made their festive rounds at Halloween.
During Samhain, the Celts left out food to appease any spirits traveling the Earth on this night. This further evolved in people dressing as these otherworldly beings and receiving food and drink offerings in return. The wearing of costumes was thought of as protection from angry spirits. By donning a disguise, the Celts hoped to avoid being mistaken for spirits themselves. Carving scary faces into pumpkins was another way to ward off spirits. This practice originated in Ireland, where turnips were carved in place of pumpkins.
Día De Los Muertos
Despite its proximity to Halloween, Día De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) shouldn’t be thought of as the “Mexican Halloween.” Similar afterlife beliefs contribute to both holidays, but whereas many Halloween traditions arose from practices to shield oneself from roaming spirits, Día De Los Muertos celebrates life and death as families honor their departed loved ones and encourage visits from the deceased by preparing altars filled with flowers and food. Brightly colored skeletons, decorative sugar skull candies, and face painting adds to the festive atmosphere.
Celebrated on November 2 (but October 31 or November 6 may be included), the holiday is largely associated with Mexico, but Día De Los Muertos is held in other parts of the world as well. Día De Los Muertos has become more widely known of late. Its familiarity sparked further by popular culture, one such example, Pixar’s 2017 animated film, Coco.
It’s interesting to dig into the roots of the holidays and traditions we celebrate. We gain a historical perspective, even from the seemingly frivolous Halloween. And we come to learn just how rooted to the past we are.
Further reading:
The Origins of Halloween Traditions