Halloween

Antique Halloween Card

 The word Halloween or Hallowe’en is a  term dating to ca. 1745 meaning the evening before All Hallow’s Day.  The word “eve” is "even” which is then contracted to “e’en or een.”  Even though the term “All Hallows” is an old English term, "ealra halgena maessedaeg," meaning "all saints day," the term "All Hallows Eve" is not seen until 1556.

In Ireland, Scotland, Wales and other areas of Europe there was an uneasy truce between the customs and beliefs associated with Christianity and those associated with the “old” religions which existed before Christianity. 

Halloween Illustration 

It is now more generally believed that Halloween is dervived from the Celtic festival of Samhain or “summer’s end.” Samhain is prononounced as SAH-win or SOW-win.  This festival was held on the  31^st of October – 1^st of November.  It was the most important of the four quarter days of the medieval Gaelic calendar.

Samhain Illustration

Basically Samhain marked the end of the harvest season and began winter or the darker half of the year. Like Beltane, it was viewed as a liminal time when the spirits or possibly fairies known as “the Aos Si” could become more active in the human world simply because it was easier for them to enter the human world at this particular time of year.

Offering of Harvested Grain

Many scholars view the Aos Si as a downgraded form of the ancient gods whose powers remain in the people’s mind long after they were replaced by new religious beliefs. For instance, it was believed that the Aos Si needed to be appeased to ensure that human people and their livestock survived the harsh winters. Offerings of food, drink, or portions of the newly harvested crops were left for the Aos Si in most Celtic areas.   

Samhain Ancestors Illustration

   It was also believed that the souls of the dead were enabled to visit their former homes.  Places were set at the dinner table or by the fireplace to welcome them.  The belief that the souls of the dead were able to return on that one day or night of the year is a very ancient one which is found in cultures throughout the world.

In Scotland, youths went from house to house with their faces masked or blackened, threatening to do mischief if they were not welcomed by all those they encountered.

Jack O'Lanterns

The Jack-o’ lantern was believed to frighten away evil spirits. There was also another popular thought among Celtic folk associated with the Jack-o’ lantern.  Many Celtic folk believed that the Jack-o’ lantern represented a “soul denied entry into both heaven and hell.”

[Note: These beautiful illustrations have been collected from various sources over many years. They have been used to illustrate both Gaelic beliefs and the Halloween holiday in both Genealogy and Folklore classes.]