A True New Year - The Significance of Samhain
To some, Halloween is nothing more than another name on a calendar. That is the way of all customs that are ancient in their beginnings. To others, it is a day of celebration where millions the world over disguise themselves joyfully and indulge in junk food and trickery. I love Halloween in its current form for many reasons, as I’m quite a fan of dressing up and partaking in spooky activities, but I always find that the importance of its origins is lost on too many, even here where it all began. For a holiday that has spread the globe, how many are truly aware of how it all started?
Samhain is the original New Year in ancient Irish tradition, and one of the four pagan festivals highlighting the changing of the seasons. It is a fire festival that celebrates renewal and re-connection. It is believed that, at this time, the veil between our physical world and the ‘Alltar’ (Otherworld) was at its thinnest. This allowed the spirits of the ancestors to cross the plain and wander the earth for a day. Food, drink and a seat would likely be put at the fireplace so that the souls of those who had passed may feel welcome in the family homes. These offerings (and possible sacrifices in some cases) were made in hopes that the spirits would be satisfied and bless the homes they frequented, giving a protection of sorts to the family.
The disguise and dress up we see today is a direct influence from the old tradition. It was not always safe to wander by oneself at Samhain, because not all spirits were so friendly and passive. Children were easy targets, and the fear was that the spirits would either inhabit the bodies of the children to live again, or simply take them and transport them to the Alltar, never to be seen again. As a precaution, the children would disguise themselves so that they would be mistaken for spirits and thus unharmed. As Christianity arrived and adapted old rituals into their own, Samhain became All Hallow’s Eve and All Souls in practice. ‘Souling’ was an English concept where poor folk went to wealthy houses and received ‘soul cakes’ in return for praying for the lost souls of the house. Ireland and Scotland had ‘Guising’, in which all would dress up, go to other houses and entertain the hosts with song, dance and storytelling in exchange for food, drink and other gifts.
The Jack O’Lantern also has its origins in Irish folklore, though only recorded as early as the mid-1600s. ‘Stingy Jack’ spent his life tricking and evading the Devil, much to his ire, and declaring that the Dark Prince could never claim his soul. It all came back full circle to Jack when he died, as he was refused entry to both Heaven and Hell. Doomed to wander the earth eternally, the Devil provided him with a single lump of burning coal to light his way. Jack placed it in a carved-out turnip, thus earning him the name ‘Jack Of The Lantern’.
In many ways, we have emigration and the Famine to thank for Halloween’s popularity. Souling and guising were revived in the United States in the early 1900s, with pranking becoming a favoured activity alongside it. It was in America that the term ‘Trick or Treat’ was created, modifying the long-standing traditions of knocking on doors and expecting goodies. Pumpkins are now synonymous with Halloween thanks to the U.S. too, being that they were plentiful in the country and far easier to carve than turnips.
The evolution of Halloween is a testament to the adaptation and survival of tradition. As modern as it seems to be in its current iteration, it is steeped in ancient custom and clearly follows the footprints of those who came thousands of years before us. I celebrate Halloween for what it is now in its most joyous form. I also celebrate and acknowledge Samhain as my New Year. I find that the Irish don’t always understand their sense of identity or where they belong in the world, and I believe that is because they have forgotten the richness of their history. These festivals are the perfect moments to reflect on where they are and where they have come from. There is no better time to begin than at Samhain, when the cycle begins anew.
