It is widely believed that many Halloween traditions have evolved from an ancient Celtic festival called Samhain. Samhain is a Gaelic word meaning ‘end of the summer’. This festival is believed to have been a celebration of the end of the harvest, and a time of preparation for the coming winter. It is widely accepted that the early church missionaries chose to hold a festival at this time of year in order to absorb existing native Pagan practices into Christianity.
However, there are supporters of the view that Hallowe’en, as the eve of All Saints’ Day, originated entirely independently of Samhain. In Ireland Festival of Samhain means end of the Celtic year and a special time of looking at the future. Happy All Hallows´ Eve!