The History of Halloween

 “...Now, you’ve probably wondered where holidays come from. If you haven’t, I’d say it’s time you began.”

- Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas 

With Halloween/Samhain just around the corner I thought a little post about the history of it all would be cool! So get yourself a snack and enjoy!

Halloween’s traditions have been around much longer than Halloween itself. As we in the Pagan path know, it was originally called Samhain. But what was old Samhain? How much of it has crossed over into the modern world? And how do people celebrate it now? Furthermore, the debate in the pagan community, can a pagan celebrate both? I have dove into the history and lore of the holiday to piece together how different (or alike) Halloween and Samhain are. 

Let’s start with where Halloween originated from, the old ways of Samhain. Samhain was celebrated by the Celtic people but not necessarily on the day, we celebrate it now. Samhain was celebrated on the first frost after a full moon. (Which was usually late October, early November). There is a false story that Samhain is to celebrate the god of the dead, when in reality it just means “Summers End.” It was the final harvest of the year, and it meant winter was fastly approaching. Lots of tradition and lore surrounded this holiday even back then. It was the time of year where spirits, among other supernatural entities, were said to roam free. The Faeries would wreak havoc on Samhain night as well, destroying people’s yards and homes. People went to great lengths to protect themselves from all of the things that go bump in the night. Our ancestors would leave out food, typically apples, for the souls with no family. They would also carve turnips into scary faces to ward off any unfriendly spirits in the dark. If they were outside at night in addition to carrying turnips they would dress in all white or wear scary masks to try and blend in with the spirits. 

But Samhain was not all fear. This was also a time of thankfulness and celebration. Samhain was a very important night for our ancestors. It was a time to honor their parted loved ones. They would have dumb suppers, where a plate of food was left out for the dead. They would leave their doors unlocked so their ancestors could enter, as well as sit around the hearth of the home and tell stories of the year. It was a way for them to talk and commune with their loved ones.

This was also a time to help those in need. The poor would go house to house collecting food or money. Often soul cakes were baked and shared with the poor or just with neighbors. It was customary to bake a soul cake for your neighbor and them you. 

When Catholicism came about they tried to cover up Samhain and the old pagan ways with new Christian ways. They attempted to move it to May 13th and celebrate all of the Saints and Martyrs. When that did not work they overlapped the date with Samhain. Which created All Souls Day, and All Saints day. Yet for whatever reason, that did not work the way it had for other Holidays. The traditions of Samhain were still being celebrated. Yet, it morphed into “All Hallows Eve” which then became known as Halloween. Halloween did not come to America until the 19th century, and with it brought the Irish traditions. Over time it became more widely accepted and commercialized into the Halloween we know today.

Now, instead of the poor going house to house it is children in search of candy. Dressing up is just for fun not out of fear. Turnips became pumpkins because pumpkins were more popular in the States and easier to carve. It became less and less about our ancestors and more about horror and monsters. Which in my opinion is all fun and good! I love Halloween. 

This is a time of thankfulness, it is a time to feast on pies, meat, soups, and all things pumpkin. The final harvest is an incredibly important milestone in the year. This is a time of divination and magick. Of letting go of things that no longer serve you. Many Pagans will celebrate Samhain along with Halloween. However, some detest the commercialized Hollywood version it has become. They believe it should be a somber evening in remembrance. So which is correct? Both. It is up to the practitioner if they want to combine the holidays or not. I do because I believe in balance and fun!

Halloween has evolved over the years but the roots are still Samhain. To me, there is no harm in celebrating both. 

I hope you enjoyed this brief summary of Samhain's history!

~ B