Have a Scary Samhain

Samhain marks one doorway out of the two great doorways of the Celtic year. The Celts separated the year into two seasons: the light and the dark; at Beltane and Samhain. People believed that whisperings of new beginnings are heard clearly in dark silence. The most magically effective time of this festival is the night of 31st October, today known as Halloween.

Literally Samhain means ‘summer’s end’. The night before this day became famous as Halloween. On 2nd November All Souls Day started to be observed and people worshipped for all souls who were waiting to enter heaven. Throughout the centuries, Christian and Pagan beliefs got interlaced in a gallimaufry of celebrations.

Approximately around eighth century or so, Catholics decided to use 1st November as All Saints Day. This was actually a quite smart action on their part. The reason was the local Pagans were already celebrating that day, so it was sensible to use it as a church holiday. All Saints’ Day became the festival to tribute any saint who did not already have a day of his or her own. The mass which was delivered on All Saints Day was called All Hallowmas – the mass of all those who are hallowed. The night before All Saints’ Day naturally became known as All Hallows Eve and finally morphed into an event what we call Halloween today.

The Celtic New Year commences with the sunset on Samhain. The old year is over, the harvest has been gathered, cattle and sheep have been brought in and leaves have fallen from trees. The earth around us steadily begins to die. At this time people look at wrapping up the old things in life that are still unresolved. So that when the incomplete stuff clears away, you can start looking towards the next year.

For some people, Samhain is the time to honor their ancestors. Samhain gives you the perfect night to celebrate the memory of your dear ones who have died in the past year. If you are lucky enough, your ancestors will return to converse with you from beyond the veil. They also advice you, guide you and offer protection for the forthcoming year.

Samhain is a harvest festival which has its primordial roots in Celtic polytheism. This harvest festival was associated to other festivals that took place around the same time in other cultures of the Celts. The celebration of this festival continued in late medieval times. Samhain actually refers to the portion of the holiday on 1st November.

If you desire to observe Samhain in the Celtic tradition, extend the festivities for over three successive days. You can have a ritual and a banquet every night. As far as Samhain rituals are concerned they are End of the harvest, ritual for animals, holding a séance, honoring the ancestors, holding a dumb supper, celebrating the cycle of life and death, honoring God and Goddesses and ancestor meditation. Now, you are fully acquainted with Samhain, have a nice time on this occasion this year.

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Halloween- A Creepy Carnival

A frightening festival that chills the spine is Halloween. It is observed on 31st Oct. This festival has its roots in All Saint’s Day-a Christian holiday and the Celtic festival of Samhain. In the present day and age, Halloween is chiefly a secular celebration. This year it is falling on Sunday. So, this year people have entire weekend to decorate homes.

The day of Halloween is the last day of the Celtic calendar. It was a pagan holiday which honors the dead. Halloween dates back to more than twenty eras. Halloween is celebrated before All Saint’s Day. Culture of Halloween can be traced back to the Druids which is a Celtic culture in Ireland, Britain and Northern Europe. Several practices of this scary festival were based on superstition. According to Celt belief, souls of the dead roamed in streets at night. As all spirits were not thought to be affable, gifts were left out to placate the evil.

As there are various versions associated to the beginning and old customs of Halloween, some are consistent. Various cultures view Halloween in a different way but traditional Halloween practices are the same.

A number of activities take place on this festival that symbolize fright and fear. These activities include visiting haunted attractions, telling ghost stories, committing pranks, trick or treating, apple bobbing, watching horror movies, attending costume parties, carving jack-o’-lanterns, bonfires, and ghost tours.

Jack-o’-lanterns (candles carved from pumpkin) are carved while commemorating souls in purgatory. Candle lanterns are also carved from turnips. These candles are carved in such a way that scary faces are formed and then they are placed on windows to keep away evil spirits. Many families carve a comical or scary face on a pumpkin and when it’s dark, they place it on their doorsteps.

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There are several sources from which the imagery of Halloween is derived. These sources include works of Gothic and horror literature, national customs and classic horror movies. Corn husks, pumpkin and scarecrows are also ubiquitous. Around Halloween, homes are often decorated with these symbols.

Themes of evil, occult, mythical monsters, death or magic are included in Halloween imagery. Witches, ghosts, vampires, demons, werewolves, skeletons, black cats and bats are some of the traditional characters. With celebrations orange and black colors are linked. It is so, may be because the color of darkness of night and the color of autumn leaves, fire or pumpkins are black and orange respectively.

Also known as All Saints’ Eve and All Hallows’ Eve, Halloween is an exciting and thrilling frightening festival and it continues to fascinate people of every age.

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