Samhain - The Origin of Halloween

Written by: Tonia Jordan
Published on: October 9, 2011
Category: Halloween

Samhain, the traditional Celtic holiday, literally means "summer's end." The Celts divided the year into two seasons, representing light and dark. The first day of each season held a celebration, with Beltane on May 1st and Samhain on November 1st.

Samhain was an important festival, as it welcomed new beginnings and a new year for the Celts. It also symbolized a union or communality between people. Bonfires were lit by people within a village. While the bonfire blazed, villagers extinguished all other fires. Each family would then light its hearth from the common flame of the bonfire, bonding the families of a village together.