I know . . . It’s still mid-August and summer is in full bloom, but as September draws near my mind begins to wander on down time’s path to my favorite season—autumn—and my favorite holiday: Halloween. My affection for this holiday has its roots in my childhood, when my mother bent over backwards to make the occasion special for her children. We lived out in the country and there just wasn’t anywhere safe to trick or treat. Instead, she threw a Halloween party, just for my brother and me.
It’s an ancient custom, this “Halloween.” Just when did it start, where, and why? Over the next weeks, I’ll be dedicating my Haunted Pathways blog to exploring the roots of the holiday.
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Apparently, the Celts began this custom 2000 years ago. They lived in what is now Scotland, the UK, and northern France, and called their holiday “Samhain.” This is pronounced “sow-in,” and represented their New Year, on November first. The Celts believed that this date marked the official transition from autumn to winter.
Winter, before the age of insulated housing and reliable heating sources, was often associated with death. The trees became denuded, the land barren, and many frail, old, or young could not survive winter’s wrath.
The Celts believed that the night before this seasonal transition occurred, the “veil” between the living and the dead was at its thinnest. Thus, October 31st became a day of ritual when bonfires were lit, and sacrifices of crops and animals made to appease their gods. They prayed for protection from the ghosts of the dead who they believed returned on this night to destroy their stores of food for the winter. They also believed that their priests had enhanced power on this night to predict future events.
So, not only ghosts, but psychic powers can be linked to the ancient Celts’ celebration of Samhain, or Halloween. Two of my favorite subjects to write about. No wonder it’s my favorite holiday.
What are your favorite Halloween traditions or memories? Please share in comments!
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Claire Gem is a multi-award winning author of supernatural suspense. You can find out more about her & her work at her Amazon Author Page, and on her website, www.clairegem.com
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