Samhain is one of the four major Gaelic festivals and marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter or the "darker half" of the year in the Celtic calendar. Traditionally observed from the evening of October 31 to November 1, Samhain is considered by many to be the Celtic New Year and has roots in ancient Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man.
Samhain's origins date back at least 2,000 years to the ancient Celts. For these people, the passage into winter was a time of introspection, preparation, and ritual. They believed that on Samhain, the boundary between the living and the dead was at its thinnest, allowing spirits to pass through into the world of the living. This belief was central to the festival's rituals, which included:
During Samhain, it was also customary to leave offerings of food and drink for the wandering spirits, to honor the dead, and to keep away evil entities. This tradition might be one of the origins of the modern practice of "trick-or-treating."
Over time, with the spread of Christianity, Samhain merged with Christian festivals, notably All Saints' Day (November 1) and All Souls' Day (November 2), which were established to honor saints and the departed. The eve of All Saints' Day became known as Halloween, which still retains some elements of Samhain, like costumes and the celebration of the dead.
Today, Samhain is celebrated by various groups: