Sep 08 2009
Pagan Holidays: Samhain and the Mixed Origins of Halloween
One of the most well-known and controversial pagan holidays is Samhain. Some people don’t know a great deal about Samhain except for its pagan origins and connection to the widely-celebrated Halloween, making them reticent or fearful to learn more about it. Samhain is celebrated on either October 31st or November 1st, depending on one’s belief structure or calendar.
Samhain (pronounced sow-ehn, rhymes with ‘how then‘) was celebrated as a pagan holiday in ancient times. Elements of this celebration as well as the meaning of Samhain has been retained in both popular culture, but more specifically in neopagan paths including Wicca and Celtic Reconstructionism.
Samhain can be seen as the end of the harvest and/or the beginning of the new year. It is often signified and celebrated with bonfires.
What’s the Halloween Connection? Should I Worry?
Samhain marks the lowering of the veils between the worlds of the living and the dead. While this might sound odd to some, it will also sound familiar–this is very standard Halloween lore and history.
Samhain was and is a day for participants to remember the dead. To remember the dead on Samhain, you can:
- leave food outside (trick-or-treaters will like this, too)
- set an extra place at the table for a deceased loved one
However, just as Halloween folklore suggests, Samhain is a night of mischief! All those pesky faery folk and sprites come out to play, and they like to play tricks. Halloween and Samhain celebrants should be aware of this chaos and the energy created and felt by those who celebrate the holiday.
You can join in the fun by partying with the spirits (be merry!) and/or do your best to trick them by dressing up as someone else. Traditionally, this involved dressing in white to appear as an apparition.
Samhain and Halloween have always been feast days–be it the Feast of Tara in ancient Ireland or snacking on the spoils of trick-or-treating. The important part is that the activity of feasting is shared among the family and community.
Of Pagan Importance
Pagans practicing magic are said to have success on Samhain due to the nature of magical energy surrounding everyone–but they should beware of trickery. Those born on Samhain are said to be gifted at foretelling.
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