"Trick or treat"
My granddaughter wanted to know why we actually celebrate Halloween. Together we searched the internet for an answer.
I always assumed that Halloween came to us from America across the pond. The origin is probably in Ireland and can be traced back to the Celtic Samhain festival.
I was so fascinated by these backgrounds that I put together a separate page for them.
Samhain, the Celtic winter celebration
According to Celtic tradition, the year was divided into two halves. The dark season begins with Samhain (pronounced sow-en) and ends on May 1st. The deceased were invited as guests of honor to the festival of the dead, which was accompanied by set rituals. According to Celtic lore, people put out their hearth fires and gathered at the ritual center of their tribe. Here they also honored their gods with gifts and offerings. Their wishes and prayers flowed in as the druid lit the new fire. At the end of the ceremony, everyone lit fuel from it and brought it to the hearth of their home.
The ashes from the bonfires were often scattered over the fields as protection.
Irish emigrants probably brought this custom to America.
