The door to the
Otherworld is open tonight...and so the fairies and the dead can
communicate with us...
Such
is the mythological belief about this Celtic or Gaelic festival—and
the aspect of the festival that influenced All Hallows' Day (also
known as Day of the Dead) and All Hallows' Eve (Halloween).
The
more practical side of Samhain is that it marks the beginning of
winter in Gaelic Ireland. It celebrates the harvesting of crops, but
it is even more a special day for herdsmen: It marks the leading of
cattle back from their summer pastures and, often, the slaughtering
of animals for winter.
Some
Celtic customs of Samhain included lighting bonfires on hilltops,
eating a special Samhain feast—and setting a place at the table for
the souls of dead relatives—and leaving offerings of food at the
door for the fairies. Turnip lanterns were believed to offer
protection from otherworldly beings, and they were left in windows or
carried by travelers. Another kind of protection from the fairies was
wearing masks or costumes, which were thought to confuse the fairies.
This custom was called “guising.” Going from house to house
begging for food or other gifts for the Samhain feast was another
tradition in some parts of Ireland.
Can
you see how these traditions led to modern Halloween customs?
Mr. Donn has gathered some websites about Samhain.
By
the way...
While
I was reading about Samhain, I got mixed up reading about the Celts
and the Gaels and the Druids. Were these different names for the same
people? I looked up the three terms:
The
Celts were an ancient people from Central Europe. They spread to
Western Europe and especially settled in the British Isles.
Gaels
were a particular group of ancient Celts who settled in Ireland,
Scotland, and the Isle of Man. The modern Gaelic language is one of
the two official languages of Ireland (the other, of course, is
English).
Druids
were priests of the ancient Celtic religion.
Also
on this date:
Website truly interesting.Congratulations!
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Thanks! Always nice to get a compliment!
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