Halloween is not my favourite holiday. I enjoy seeing children having fun, dressing in costumes and collecting treats. However, I am disturbed by the Halloween decorations that focus on tombstones, skeletons and zombies. I shouldn’t be surprised by this dark side of the holiday, because Halloween has been associated with death since the time my Celtic ancestors inhabited Great Britain.
The tradition of Halloween originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain when Druids lit bonfires and wore costumes to ward off ghosts. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated Nov. 1 as a time to honour all saints. The evening before was known as All Hallows Eve, and later, Halloween.
Over time Halloween became a day of activities such as trick-or-treating, carving pumpkins, festive gatherings, wearing costumes and eating treats.
Two centuries ago the Celtic people who inhabited Great Britain celebrated the end of harvest and the beginning of the new year with the Festival of Samhain. Crops and animals were burned in a bonfire as offerings to the Celtic deities.
They believed that on the night before the new year the boundary between the world of the living and dead became blurred. On the night of Oct. 31 it was believe that spirits of the dead returned to earth. Some of these roaming ghosts played tricks on people. Some people wore a disguise so the ghosts would not recognize them.
Pumpkins are a North American plant and had not yet been introduced to Europe. The first jack-o-lanterns were carved from turnips. A lighted candle placed in the turnip turned it into a small lamp that could frighten off evil spirits. When you place a carved pumpkin on your doorstep you are continuing this centuries-old tradition.
The Christian church has assimilated the holidays of many other belief systems. For example, Christmas was overlaid on the Roman winter solstice celebration Sol Invictus. All Saints Day on Nov. 1 continues to be celebrated in many Christian churches, but All Hallows Eve, or Halloween, celebrations in North America are almost completely secular.
In many other parts of the world, such as Mexico, Christians celebrate their continuing association with the dead on Halloween. They visit graveyard to pray and place flowers and candles on their love ones graves.
Halloween was my son’s favourite holiday. Although he was dying from cancer, his wife decorated his hospital room with Halloween decorations. Perhaps he was thumbing his nose at death. Of course, I think of him often, but especially at Halloween. If I follow the ancient Celtic traditions, I might be comforted that on Oct. 31 there is thinner separation between the living and the dead.
Source: history.com, dictionary.com
