Halloween is a time where we can be something we aren’t by wearing costumes and masks in celebration. Believe it or not, Halloween is one of the longest traditions in the world and has been celebrated for centuries. Its roots come from many different areas with many different practices, but it is now a modern holiday in America where we celebrate by eating more candy than we can handle. Halloween touches an essential element in humans: the relationship between life and death. In essence, Halloween means “holy evening,” which explains its religious roots.
Halloween traditions in the West date back to thousands of years ago to the festival of Samhain, the Celtic New Year’s festival. The festival marked the end of summer and the beginning of winter. The Celts believed that during this time, the veil between the living and the dead was the thinnest, allowing the dead to walk around where they had been before and those that have not yet moved on would have the opportunity to say goodbye to their loved ones. In celebration, the Celtics stocked up supplies for winter, slaughtered cattle, and disposed of the bones in “bone fires” which are now known as bonfires. Communities also gathered in feasts and drinking, allowing otherworldly visitors to join the party. Departed loved ones were welcomed and led the celebration to setting out their favorite foods. Elves, fairies, the “wee folk”, spirits, and dark energies were also likely to pay a visit during this time.
The Samhain festival was associated with those that had gone before, but once it was Christianized, Halloween became a night of vigil, prayer, and fasting for preparation for the next day when the saints were honored at a far tamer celebration. The celebrations did not die out, but instead changed meaning in the Christian realm. Bonfires were lit to honor Christian heroes, the turning of the seasons were observed to the glory of Christ, and the poor would knock on doors for a soul-cake in return for prayers. These celebrations were prominent in Britain through the Catholic church, which led to the British bringing the traditions to America decades later.
For many Neo-Pagans and Wiccans in the modern day, the holiday continues to be observed as it was in the past. Transformation is still central to the idea of Halloween, representing the masks and costumes that are worn. Some wore werewolf costumes to scare away dangerous animals during these times, while others wore vampire costumes to scare away the evil spirits that wanted to celebrate the living and the dead. The masks and costumes of present-day Halloween follow the same theme of the long going tradition of the Samhain festival. The costumes people wear today represent the fears and hopes in the same way that people centuries ago wore their masks to unwelcome evil spirits and experience joyful reunions with loved ones.
