Break out those costumes
Halloween is a time to have fun, delight in the scary, and revel in the bizarre. Whether handing out candy, trick-or-treating, attending a costume party, or just at home watching a scary movie, there is fun for all ages. To share our delight in the holiday, we invite you to view our own adventures from Halloween, while learning about the origin of this spook-tacular day. To find the initial traces of Halloween, we look to Ireland 2,000 years ago where the Celtic festival of Samhain originated.
October 31st marked the final day in the Celtic calendar. It was the end of the life-giving summer as the deathly cold fingers of winter clawed forth to squeeze the breath from the land. As the seasons transitioned, a breech between the world of the living and the dead would open. The souls of the dead were invited by surviving family members to wine and dine with the living they left behind. However, there were also deceased souls that would cross over to seek revenge by reaping havoc on crops and causing trouble wherever they wandered. Other souls would pass into this world to assist the Druids (Celtic priests) by lending their wisdom and foresight of what was to come.
The images that the druids would see were shared with the people, giving them hope for the future. To assist the Druids in their predictions, hearth-fires were extinguished and one central bonfire would light the night. All the people would wear costumes, often consisting of animal heads and skins, and dance around the bonfire to keep evil spirits away. Once the sun arose on the new year, each family would relight their hearth from the bonfire to protect them until life revisited the land.
From us to you, we wish you had a fright-filled Halloween. We hope you enjoyed this post as a look back in history and a glimpse into our Halloween fun. What did you do for Halloween? Feel free to share photos and stories in the comment section here, on any of our different social media accounts!