| As the spooky season reaches its peak tonight on Halloween, you might find yourself wondering why people trick-or-treat, dress up in costume, or even carve up pumpkins. These modern practices have actually come quite a long way, evolving over time from ancient Celtic ceremony into what we know today as Halloween. Fun and fright are not only factors of today's celebrations, but trace far back to the early days of history and medieval times.
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Samhain: Celtic Ceremony and Celebration
Long ago, in what is now Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man, the ancient Celts saw November 1st as the beginning of their new year. Summer and autumn were over, and winter, which they thought of as the season of death, was about to begin. The night before this switching of the seasons was called Samhain. At this time, the border between the worlds of the living and the dead was blurred. Spirits, both kind and unsavory, could thus pass back and forth from one realm into the other to help -- or hinder -- the living. It was both an opportunity to honor those who had passed and the time to perform protective ceremonies against harmful spirits and the death-bringing chill of winter.
What better for warding off cold and death than a big, hot fire? Huge bonfires were at the center of Samhain festivities, where Celts gathered and offered up animal and crop sacrifices. People held feasts with places set out for the dead or food and drink placed outside to make good spirits feel welcome or to appease the wicked ones.
Dressing up was also a part of the festivities, and people would typically create costumes out of animal heads and skins. There were two thoughts behind this. Costume wearers were either disguising themselves to trick spirits and keep them from causing the wearer harm, or they were disguising themselves to trick the living into giving them the treats they had set out for the spirits.
Other activities included different games to predict the future, supposedly aided by spirits. If two hazelnuts roasted well by the fire, it was said the people they represented would be a good match. Apples were peeled in one long strip, and the strip was tossed over the shoulder. If the peel landed in a shape resembling a letter, it was supposedly the first letter of a future spouse's name. At the very end of the night, Celtic priests called Druids relit the fire of each home using fire from the sacred bonfire as protection against the oncoming winter.
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Hallows' Eve to Halloween
Eventually, the Romans conquered much of Celtic land and brought their own festivities and beliefs into the old traditions. Two Roman holidays merged with Samhain: Feralia, which commemorated the passing of the dead, and Pomona, which celebrated fruit and trees, particularly apples. Apples already held some significance in Celtic culture, so it was an easy match. Then later, when Christianity spread, the Catholic Church moved their All Saints' Day feast to November 1st and the day following that became All Hallows' Day for honoring the dead. The night before this was thus All Hallows' Eve, eventually contracted to Halloween. Some historians think this was a move to replace the "pagan" holiday with something more church-approved. This is when we get a real conglomeration of activities, traditions, and meanings behind different customs. Dressing up for a feast day wasn't unusual, so on this day people wore costumes of saints, angels, and devils. Bonfires and feasts were still common ways for anyone to celebrate and gather together. People prayed for the release of the dead from Purgatory, and children in particular went door to door singing prayers in exchange for treats. And vegetables were carved up as lanterns with candles placed inside -- although these were typically turnips instead of pumpkins!
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Halloween Legacy
So if you find yourself partaking in modern autumn-time festivities, know that you are actually taking part in time-honored traditions blended from many cultures throughout a long span of history. While pumpkin spice might be a more modern than medieval invention, people have been enjoying bonfires, feasts, and seasonal treats for centuries. No matter how you decide to spend the day, Medieval Collectibles wishes you a happy and safe Halloween!
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