Samhain

Happy Monday. It’s time for Did You Know.

Halloween is almost upon us, and many of us are decorating and preparing to celebrate.

But did you know many modern Halloween traditions are based on the festival of Samhain?

Samhain is pronounced “SOW-in” or “SAH-win,” and though that looks strange, remember it is a modern English spelling of an ancient Celtic word. Samhain marks the transition between the year’s lighter and darker halves and was celebrated throughout the ancient Celtic communities of Europe. It was the end of the harvest and a time of winter preparations.

Samhain was/is also considered a time of significance regarding spiritual beliefs, a time when the veil between the worlds was thinned or lifted, and many of the festival practices were centered around this. The modern word “bonfire” comes from the bone fires that were part of the festival, fires where bones and harvest offerings were burned in sacrifice. The wearing of costumes on Halloween originates with the Samhain practice of wearing costumes, masks and furs and such, to disguise themselves as harmful spirits and thus confuse the evil spirits that walked that night. Even trick-or-treating has its origin in the Samhain practice of leaving food offerings to appease the spirits.

These are only a few things about this magnificent ancient celebration. There are many modern interpretations of the history of the Samhain festivals, but as you prepare to celebrate Halloween, consider leaving a little something to appease the spirits … in the spirit of the holiday, of course.