Hallowe’en’s origins date back over 2000 years to the Celts when they celebrated the end of the summer, the completion of the harvest and the start of the winter season. Have you realized that this ancient holiday is the mid-point between the fall’s equinox and the winter solstice? It is a time when you begin to truly feel the change of light and shorter days.
Samhain, the name of the Celtic festival, was celebrated for three days around the end of October. It was believed to be a time when the boundary between the living and dead was thin and ghosts from the dead could cross over for a short time. Celtic priests used the night to make predictions about the future and had huge bonfires as part of the celebrations. The Celts would dress in costumes to ward off the evil ghosts who might kidnap them.
My all time favourite from this time is the forlorn and vindictive Lady Gwyn, a headless woman dressed all in white (because that would be creepy) and accompanied by her black pig (which is not so creepy but very strange). Perhaps the black pig had tusks. Also there are accounts that this holiday came with plenty of drinking which might also explain the story of a headless woman with a black pig.
In the 8th century, there was an attempt to replace this joyous Celtic holiday with the establishment of “All Saints Day”. I could have told the church that this would not work without better PR. Pope Gregory III declared November 1 to be this new holiday and when that didn’t cancel the frolicking, the church then tried to move “All Souls’ Day” to November 2. But the population was unwilling to give up their more fun night of celebration and continued to celebrate the night before, on October 31st, as “All Hallow’s Eve”. This later became Hallowe’en in North America.
I like the idea of a dedicated evening when perhaps we can more easily communicate with the dead. In some cases, people used the holiday as an opportunity to tell stories about their past loved ones. In the middle ages, a tradition of a “dumb supper” evolved where families would offer food to the the ghosts of their dead members and use the opportunity to update the ghosts of the past year’s events. Children were encouraged to play games with the dead and the windows and doors would be left open to ensure that the dead could attend.
I can imagine a family gathering around a kitchen table to share family stories about the members who have past away. Perhaps songs would be sung and poems read. And if you felt the presence of your past mother or father or grandparents, well, why not? It is a way to connect to the dead ones that are dear to us and to keep the memories of them alive.
Even the tradition of trick or treat may be rooted in an old tradition of the poor going from house to house to offer a pray for a past loved one in exchange for a “soul cake”.
This Hallowe’en, why not light a candle and write or share a story about someone who has past away as a way to honour this night? For all we know ghosts may be lingering close on this eve. And watch out for any black pigs. A headless woman dressed all in white might be near.
