Halloween is, quite simply, my favorite holiday. Relatively unstructured, does not often require much in the way of family get-togethers or lengthy meals, very imaginative, and it involves large amounts of candy. But the thing that intrigues me the most about Halloween is the fact that it is the most universally celebrated Quarter Day of the year. What's a Quarter Day, you ask? If you picture the earth revolving around the sun (as it does once each year) it becomes clear that the Solstices and the Equinox days divide the year into four equal parts...the Quarter Days further divide each of those blocks of time between each solstice and each equinox. Of those days, Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh are almost completely unknown (at least in the US)....but the last day, know it or not for its name, you probably celebrate it....Samhain....also known as Halloween.In Celtic tradition, Samhain marked the end of the year. The harvest was done, and the Northern world turns into its time of darkness and hibernation until the winter solstice, at which time the light will begin to return again. This time of the year was considered to be the time when the bridge between the living world and the dead was easily crossed and spirits of the departed could find their way to the afterlife, or return to cause disease and havoc among the living.
Samhain (pronounced 'Sah - win') originated amidst a pastoral society, they followed the ebb and flow of nature's cycles and celebrated each change of seasons. Samhain was the time of year when the animals that had been ranging on pastures were brought in and housed for the winter or slaughtered for food. The harvest was completed and stored. Bonfires were lit and celebrations where to be had - nothing evil or sinister... no devil worship - just a celebration of death and all those who we love that have departed this world for the next. But in the year 601 A.D., Pope Gregory III decided that they should try to wipe out the pagan holidays and instill, instead, the Catholic days of worship. Rather than abolishing it completely, they co-opted Samhain into All Saints Day in an attempt to transfer the worship focus over to November 1st. October 31st became "All Hallows Eve" ..."Hallow'een"....Halloween.
Superstitions, however, run deep. People would leave bowls of food and wine out on Samhain for the wondering spirits of the dead and would wear masks outside after dark to confuse those spirits that might seek to haunt them. At some point in history, the practice of passing out "soul cakes" to people that came to call on Samhaim was actually endorsed by the church since the cakes were given in exchange for the visitors saying prayers for any family members that had passed away during the course of the year - hence 'trick or treating' was born.
So, tonight, when the masked trick-or-treaters make their rounds and candles and bonfires burn, know that this day marks another quarter turn on our annual trip around the sun. The harvest is over for the year....the darkness has begun.
Happy Samhain
