Exploring the Celtic Roots of Halloween
Discover the Celtic traditions that have shaped modern-day Halloween celebrations in Ireland and across the globe.
The Celtic festival of Samhain has given us many of the traditions that Halloween is best known for. In Celtic Ireland, Samhain was a time when the boundary between the world and the otherworld was at its thinnest, and it was believed that spirits could pass through this veil.
The tradition of wearing costumes and masks emerged from this festival, as a disguise to ward off dangerous spirits. The festival marked the division between summer and winter, and was regarded as the Celtic New Year, with winter considered the first season in the Celtic calendar.
Food was an important part of the celebrations, prepared for both the living and the dead. Ancestors were honoured and celebrated through these rituals. Hints of this remain in contemporary Halloween traditions, often centring around food and food-related games like bobbing for apples.
Author's summary: Halloween originated from Celtic festival Samhain.