The Folklore of Halloween

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Halloween in America is known as a night of trick-or-treating, jack-o-lanterns, spooky costumes, and perhaps a bit of dabbling with the supernatural. For some, it’s the one night of the year we can put on a mask and reveal the wilder, witchier sides of ourselves we may not so easily share on any other day. We tour haunted houses, read tarot cards, or share stories of ghosts and the unexplained. Halloween has always been a night of magic and mystery, but let’s look at the story of where this holiday came from, as well as how it’s adapted in other parts of the world.

A short history of Samhain

Halloween as we know it today has roots in paganism, specifically Celtic paganism that Irish immigrants brought with them to the states. It was previously called All-Hallows Eve as the night before the Celtic festival Samhain (pronounced like “sow-in”). Samhain, dating back 2,000 years ago, marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, as well as the Celtic new year. It took place usually on November 1, and it was a time of transitions in nature, reflecting the cycle of life and death. The leaves are falling from the trees, animals will soon slow down and hibernate, and the nights are becoming longer, darker, and colder. With the changes in nature, this also meant a time for people to reflect on the past and remember loved ones that have passed on before us. The veil was thinnest on this night and was an opportunity to connect to the other side more easily. There was fortune-telling, lighting bonfires and candles to show spirits the way back to the spirit world, and dressing up in costume to ward off unwanted spirits. Some of those traditions persist today but looked a bit differently at first.

Halloween Traditions

Carving pumpkins

Before we were carving pumpkins, the Irish were carving turnips as a way to scare off evil spirits. Beets and potatoes were also an option, but pumpkins became the norm in America as they were much easier to carve and a bigger canvas.

Costumes

As another way to scare off evil spirits or to avoid being recognized by the dead, dressing in costumes made of animal heads and skins/fur during Samhain was a way to fool the spirits into thinking you were one of them so that you would be left alone. Today our costumes are much less creepy, just skeletons, sexy nurses, and hotdogs.

Trick-or-treating

There are a few different origin stories around this, but sweets were a gift or offering in exchange for prayers or to appease the spirits. The practice of ‘souling’ going back to the Middle Ages in Ireland and Great Britain involved children called ‘soulers’ that would go door to door asking for food or money in exchange for songs or prayers for the dead. Around the Victorian times, this led to ‘soul cakes’ which were sweet pastries that represented a soul being set free when the cake was eaten. In America, these treats were at first usually small things like toys, fruit, or nuts, and only later became predominantly candy by the 1970s when parents became concerned about the safety of unwrapped items. Nowadays, we all buy two bags of candy - one and a half for us, and the rest for the trick-or-treaters.

Black cats

Since the Middle Ages black cats were seen as bad luck and associated with witches as familiars. Some believed witches turned into black cats to disguise themselves. In witchcraft as well as in other belief systems such as in ancient Egypt, cats are actually spiritual protectors of the home. They’re independent, nocturnal creatures that sense things we cannot, and they also make excellent, lovable companions.

Fortune telling

With the veil thinned, it was an auspicious night to find out about your future husband or wife. If you ever bobbed for apples, that was once a game to learn about who your future spouse would be. Other traditions involved throwing nuts into the fire and divining the future based on how they burned, or finding a ring or trinket in a cake that belonged to your future partner. Maybe today at a Halloween party you get a tarot card reading or your hand looked at by a palm reader.

All Souls’ Day and All Saints’ Day

Outside of America, Halloween is not widely celebrated. In Christian Europe and Latin America, Samhain or other pagan festivals at this time were replaced with the new Christian holidays All Souls’ Day and All Saints’ Day on November 1st and 2nd. These days were added to the calendar to remember the saints and honor the people who passed on before us. All Souls’ Day was at first similar to Samhain with bonfires, costumes, and remembering the dead, but nowadays it mainly involves families visiting the graves of their loved ones at cemeteries, lighting candles, leaving offerings, and praying. It’s not a scary thing at all and is a beautiful night of family gathering together to remember the past.

When I was in Poland a couple years ago, I had the chance to experience this myself. I visited a cemetery in Gdańsk at night on November 1st, bought a candle, and searched for a grave that was empty so that that soul was not forgotten. All of the graves already had many candles and flowers, and it was a beautiful sight to see thousands of candles lit up in the night. It was peaceful and especially nostalgic in a way for me because I had just visited the settlement of where my Polish ancestors came from about 150 years ago. I felt a connection to the land and the people that came before me, and I felt that I wasn’t alone, in a calm and safe way.

A night of intuition and sensitivity

However you may or may not celebrate Halloween, All Souls’ Day, or All Saints’ Day, this transition in the seasons is a good time to reflect on the past and start to slow down with nature. As the nights are getting longer and the temperatures cooler, we retreat indoors more and go within. In our fast-paced lives of managing work and family, especially if you are an intuitive and sensitive soul, take some time for yourself to rest and process what you’ve been through. Reflect on your past, what you’ve let go and what you’ve gained. As the Celts did, remember your loved ones, especially the good times with them and how they impacted you. If you’re open to the idea, remember they’re always with you if you want them to. You can light a candle for them and connect as the veil is at its thinnest. Perhaps they have a message for you, or you can just enjoy the reminder that they are within reach. Alternatively, you can simply embrace the boost of intuition through reading tarot or oracle cards, being out in nature, paying attention to your dreams, or going within through meditation.

Whether you experience heightened sensitivity on this night or just eat an entire bag of candy, I hope you have a Happy Halloween!

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