Samhain: How Celtic Traditions Inspired the Modern Day Halloween #halloween #historyfacts #folklore

Did you ever wonder why trick-or-treating is called trick-or-treating? How about why people dress up in costumes on the last evening of October going door to door, asking for treats? Sticking a light or candle in a carved-out pumpkin? Where did it all come from?
Well, you can thank the Celts and the festival of Samhain for all of it.

Samhain is referenced over a thousand years ago in Irish literature. Today we’ll talk about the origins of Samhain and the customs, traditions, and legends that eventually led to the modern-day Halloween.

Some images c/o:
Imbolc: malcolm, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Beltane: Stefan Schäfer, Lich, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Mummers: Michael Maggs, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, AndyScott, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons, Doyle of London, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons,
Ethan Doyle White, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Guisers: Guisers in the procession at Uyeasound Up Helly Aa by Mike Pennington, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, Mike Pennington / Guisers at Norik Up Helly Aa
Soulcakes: Malikhpur, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Halloween Tumshie: LornaMCampbell, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Turnip (Halloween): Rannpháirtí anaithnid at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, Bodrugan, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
All Saints Day: Holger Motzkau 2010, Wikipedia/Wikimedia Commons (cc-by-sa-3.0), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, Silar, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
All Souls Day: Laurence Goff, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican: Ricardo André Frantz (User:Tetraktys), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, All Saint’s Church: All Saints church in Salperton on Boxing Day 2012 by Roger Davies, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, Samhain / Pagans: See page for author, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

[Tipi_Dan]

There are several such videos on YouTube now. This is the best of its kind: the most comprehensive and accurate.

[josephcollins]

Wow. I can understand every single word you speak. THANK YOU!! Wonderful content. I am subscribing.

[Mountain-Mac]

We always have bonfires in the North of Ireland on 31st October too… it’s not so common in parts of the free state for some strange reason.

[pkune]

We had bonfires on the 29th of june in "Dundalk" in the Republic of ireland and just went mumming on the 31st halloween night and got money and not food

[caribshogun]

We in Jamaica have our guising/ mumming. We call it Jankanu it's African in origin but seems every region in the world has their version. Jamaica has a huge Irish, Welsh and Scottish heritages. My family is predominantly African from Nigeria and Congolese mixed with Scottish and Welsh heritage.

[Wotsitorlabart]

Halloween bonfires are recorded in Scotland (either side of the Highland Line), parts of Wales, and the Isle of Man.
They have not been noted in the 'Celtic' areas of England - Cornwall and Cumbria.
And surprisingly they are not an historical tradition in Ireland - the 19th century folklore collections make no mention of them.
However, there are two areas where bonefires do occur in Ireland and they are in the Protestant North (in areas of Scottish settlement) and in Dublin (but only from the mid-20th century). Both clearly having modern origins.
So, there was clearly no single 'Celtic' Halloween / Samhain fire tradition.

[oomahuntressprotectress]

hallowed ween

some very traditional practices have been discontinued for these days that's for sure

but for the particularly Celtic rough equivalent of the modern festival

hmm..

[maryloux]

Guising instead of "geising" min. 6.35

[Wotsitorlabart]

If the the purpose of adopting the 1st November as the Feast of All Saints in 835 was to co-opt the Celtic festival of Samhain why was it that prior to that date the Irish Church celebrated All Saints Day on 20th April?
Clearly the Irish church felt no threat from Samhain - Ireland having been Christian for several centuries. And by 835 any thoughts of Samhain being a religious festival would have been long gone - all that remained would be folk customs and superstitions.
And the 1st November was first adopted by the English and German Churches in neither region of which was Samhain ever celebrated.
So, they clearly had no ulterior motives in choosing that date - the dark November northern days simply suited the sombre nature of the festival rather than the bright days of May as practiced in Rome.

[WadeRaney-vvoi]

I won't trick You, but I will treat You to a like, ✍️👍

[didibellini]

Are you saying Samhain is a Christian tradition and not a pagan one??

[KyeEnzoden]

In other words, Christianity appropriated Samhain.