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Playing pranks at Samhain is recorded in the Scottish Highlands as far back as 1736 and was also common in Ireland, which led to Samhain being nicknamed "Mischief Night" in some parts. [90] Wearing costumes at Halloween spread to England in the 20th century, as did the custom of playing pranks, though there had been mumming at other festivals. [90]
Samhain marked the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter or the 'darker half' of the year. [114] [115] It was seen as a liminal time, when the boundary between this world and the Otherworld thinned. This meant the Aos Sí, the 'spirits' or 'fairies', could more easily come into this world and were particularly active.
Illustration of human sacrifices in Gaul from Myths and legends; the Celtic race (1910) by T. W. Rolleston. While other Roman writers of the time described human and animal sacrifice among the Celts, only the Roman general Julius Caesar and the Greek geographer Strabo mention the wicker man as one of many ways the druids of Gaul performed sacrifices.
October 31 means it's Halloween! Wondering how the holiday got started and why we trick or treat for candy? Here's what to know about its past.
“Halloween can be traced back to an ancient Celtic festival called 'Samhain' where people gathered around large bonfires and wore ... the Flatwoods Monster myth originated more than 70 years ago ...
October 31 brings the celebration of Samhain, the halfway point between the autumnal equinox and winter solstice. It marks the beginning of the “darker half” of the year. The autumn harvest is ...
It may otherwise have originated in a Celtic festival, Samhain, held on 31 October–1 November, to mark the beginning of winter, in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man, and Calan Gaeaf in Wales, Cornwall, and Brittany. The festival is believed to have pre-Christian roots. In the 9th century, the Catholic Church made 1 November All Saints' Day.
It is not clear what religious festivals the ancient Celts held, but the Insular Celtic peoples celebrated four seasonal festivals, known to the medieval Gaels as Beltaine (1 May), Lughnasadh (1 August), Samhain (1 November) and Imbolc (1 February). [6] Beltane, in particular, is attributed ancient origin by medieval Irish writers.