Halloween found his origin during the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain more than 2000 years ago. The population (the Celts) who celebrated this event lived in Ireland, the United Kingdom and the northern part of France and New Year took place on the first day of November.

They celebrated Samhein on the last night of October representing the end of the summer and the harvest and it was also the beginning of the dark days and a cold winter. There was a common belief between the Celts that the ghosts of the death people returned to the earth.

Maybe you don't know why they use the name Samhain in this festival but this is the Celtic word meaning the end of summer. The Celtic people believed that the presence of these ghosts made it easier for the Celtic priests (also called Druids) to make predictions for the future.

It was also a time of sacrifice to the Gods and the Druids build large bonfires and burnt crops and animals as sign to commemorate this event.

The dressing of the Celtic people was very special during this event. They used masks or animals skins when they left their home and they gathered around the fires telling fortunes and tried to tell each other's fortunes.
After the celebration they took torches lit from the bonfires and relit their heart fires which they had extinguished before. This kind of relighting should protect them during the cold days in winter time.

When the Celts were conquered by the Romans two festivals were combined with the original festival of Samhein :
- Ferelia : a day on the end of October when the Romans commemorated the passing of the death
- A day to honor Pomona, the goddess of fruit and trees : the symbol of this day is the apple and the tradition of bobbing for apples which is nowadays practiced with the modern Halloween festivities can be found here.

It happened in the 7th century that pope Boniface IV proclaimed the first day of November All Saint's Day and there was a common belief that he was trying to replace the Celtic festival of the death by a religious day for Christian people to honor saints and martyrs.
The name given to this day was All-hallowness and the night before was called All-Hallows; from there the name Halloween. Later in 1000 AD the church proclaimed the second day of November All Soul's Day in honor of the death.

Nowadays Halloween is celebrated worldwide. There are many parades with people dressed in costumes and representing witches and ghosts. It is more a commercial event nowadays than a real honor of the spirits of the death people. It looks sometimes a little bit horrible but especially children like this event. And who doesn't like the pumpkin soup or pumpkin pie?
Halloween is a day of fun; many people enjoy it and you can see the wonderful Halloween decorations in the street.

Don't forget to remember the spirits of the deaths, the real origin of Halloween!

Learn more about this author, Erik Van Tongerloo.
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