The tradition of celebrating Halloween stems from an ancient pagan holiday called
Samhain. Samhain is one of the 8 sabbats in paganism. It is a cross quarter sabbat
falling halfway between the Fall equinox and the Winter Solstice. The actual date is
November 1, but it celebrated on October 31 because pagan holidays are celebrated on
the eve of their actual dates. It was (and still is) celebrated by many pagan cultures in one
form or another.
While Halloween is considered a fun holiday for children, Samhain is a serious
celebration to most pagans. It is believed to be an "in between" time and is often called
"Night of the Thin Veil", because at this time, it is believed that the "veil" between the
worlds is the thinnest and it is easier to communicate with those who have passed on.
It is also called Ancestor Night or Feast of the Dead, as it is a time for remembering one’s
ancestors, known and unknown. Some pagans put a lit candle in the window to help their
ancestors find their way home on this night and an extra place is set at the table in
invitation for them to join in Samhain dinner. Rituals often center around giving honor to
ancestors and asking for their guidance. Measures are taken to keep out harmful or
negative spirits.
Samhain dinner often consists of root and vine vegetables, such as pumpkins and other
gourds, carrots, and potatoes, as well as red wine. One reason may be that they are in
season at this time of year. This, of course, is not the only reason. They do have some
significance as being symbolic of remembering ones ancestors.
In the Celtic traditions, November 1 is considered New Year’s day, so many pagans regard this day as a good time for completing old projects or habits and starting new ones. Divination is also commonly performed at this time.
Many Halloween traditions originated from the traditions and ideas of Samhain. One
example would be costumes. As stated above, Samhain is considered an excellent time
for communicating with and honoring, those who have passed. In earlier times, some
people believed that the dead literally walked the earth on this night. Out of fear, they
dressed themselves in costumes to attempt to blend in with them.
Another surviving tradition is Jack-O-Lanterns. Some believe it stems from the story of Bran the Blessed. In Celtic mythology, the Celtic god Bran
ordered that when he died, his head be cut off and buried facing France to protect the
country from invaders. Pagans carve faces into gourds and place a candle inside as a
symbol of Bran’s head. It is often used for protection. Some older rituals call for a
"circle
of heads". This is what they are referring to. They are still sometimes used by modern day
pagans for the same purpose. They are also occasionally used on Samhain at the door of
the house to keep out unwelcome visitors and harmful spirits
Bobbing for apples was at one time used as a means of divination.
Samhain was considered one of the four fire festivals of the Druids. This is where the tradition of making bonfires at Halloween came from.
Different countries celebrated and honored different deties on this day. Often the focus was on darker aspects of deities, or those ruling the dead. The day itself was named after a deity. Cailleach was honored in many Celtic countries, while the Norse honored the goddess Hel. Bast and Sehkmet were honored in Egypt.
You call it Halloween, We Call it Samhain
All Hallow's Eve, Halloween, Samhain