The Celtic Roots of Halloween
Happy Halloween!
I’m sure you’ve been busy with a season of decorating, buying and making treats, crafting costumes, and preparing for an evening of trick-or-treating.
I wanted to share with you some of the ancestral roots of today’s holiday. The celebration of Halloween has influences from many different cultural traditions, and today I’m going to share with you the Celtic / Gaelic holiday of Samhain. I’ve also included some small rituals you can participate in to celebrate the holiday in new, more spiritual ways. I hope you can take a few minutes for yourself either today or tomorrow to honor this season in a way that feels good for you!
SAMHAIN
Halloween has its origins in an ancient Celtic festival called Samhain. This was celebrated on the evening of October 31st through November 1st, marking the halfway point between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice. This was known to be the transition time when the harvest was ending and the darker months of winter were upon us. It was believed that at this time of the year, the veil between the world of the living and the world of the spirit was very thin, so it was also a time of contemplation and remembrance for lost loved ones, and a time to commune with the spirit world.
Here are some of the ways people celebrated this holiday together:
Feasting together with food and drink.
Bonfires (believed to have cleansing properties).
Leaving food offerings and place settings for loved ones and ancestors who had passed.
Troops of people went door to door reciting verses and poetry in exchange for food.
Divination practices using apples and nuts.
You can see how many of our modern day traditions originated in this holiday, and I’m sure you also noticed a lot of similarities with the Mexican holiday, Dia de los Muertos.
RITUALS FOR ALL HALLOW’S EVE
Here are some small rituals you can participate in to honor the holiday, inspired by Samhain:
Create an altar to honor loved ones and ancestors who have passed. You can include some of the following items on your altar: photographs, candles, fresh flowers, fresh food.
Have a bonfire with friends or family. BONUS: Have everyone write something they are letting go of (can be a habit, resentment, material item, etc.) and burn it in the bonfire.
Create a feast to celebrate the holiday sometime between October 31st and November 3rd, and give thanks for the bounty you’ve been given from the summer months.
Light a candle and say a prayer for your ancestors or loved ones who have passed away. Spend some time in reflection and remembrance of them. You can go through old photos or old videos.
Light a candle and write 5 things you are grateful for.
However you choose to celebrate, I hope that you have a safe, happy, and healthy Halloween!
