Celts, Ghosts, Saints, and Stories: A Halloween Post

I was talking with a friend recently who asked me about the origins of Halloween. She is from China, and has been in the U.S. for five years. She and I were both under the impression that Halloween is a uniquely American holiday.

Apparently not.

According to History.com, Halloween actually began in Ireland. Ireland? Yep. Its origins are believed to be the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced Sow-in), where bonfires were lit and costumes worn to ward off ghosts.

The Celts’ new year began on November 1. They believed that on the night before, the boundary between the living and the dead became fluid, and ghosts could return to earth and cause trouble for the living.

In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as All Saints’ Day, or All-hallowmas (from Middle English alholowmesse); the preceding day became known as All Hallow’s Eve, later Halloween. The influence of Christianity had spread through the Celtic Lands, and the church-sanctioned holiday of All Saints’ Day supplanted the festivities of Samhain.

Today, Halloween is celebrated in communities throughout the U.S., Canada, and Ireland. Trick-or-treating and parties, costumes and treats are all part of the festivities. Interestingly, similar traditions can be found elsewhere. The Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos, celebrated in Mexico, Latin America, and Spain, is a three-day festival honoring the dead, who are believed to return to their homes on October 31. Families visit gravesites on November 2 to picnic and remember those lost.

England celebrates Guy Fawkes Day on November 5. Bonfires are lit, effigies burned, and fireworks set off. It is noteworthy that many cultures around the world have rituals at this time of year, when the days grow shorter and we prepare ourselves for the long, dark winter.

The more we read and learn about traditions, stories, and people from other lands, both in times past and modern day, the more we are able to see the common humanity we all share. All across the globe, people gather to celebrate, connect, and tell stories to help us understand, and to enrich, this thing we call life. 

We tell stories. We listen to stories. It helps us understand who we are, who we have been, and who we want to be.

This is why I find it so vital to read to and with my children. Not just to build vocabulary and early literacy. Not just to give them a jumpstart at school. Not just to help them get to know the traditions and beliefs of children across the world. But to give them stories. In stories, we can find ourselves, lose ourselves, and remake the world.

To further explore Celtic heritage, click here and here. For ghost stories, click here.