What is Samhain? The Beliefs and History of the Celtic Festival
What is Samhain?
Before Halloween, before your mum used to dress you up in bin bags, smother you in fake blood, and send you out into the street to chap someone’s door screaming ‘Trick or Treat’ – there was Samhain.
In modern times, Samhain (pronounced as ‘SOW-win’ or ‘SAW-win’) is celebrated from October 31st to November 1st. It is part of a pagan, Celtic spiritual tradition that marks the end of summer, welcoming in the harvest, and bringing in the darker half of the year.
Samhain is a liminal time, where the boundaries of this world and the Otherworld break down, allowing the physical and spiritual world to interact.
Forest floor, scattered with miniature pumpkins and lit candles. Tengyart/Upsplash
Samhain Traditions & Beliefs
Bonfires and feasting played a large part of the festivities. Food was prepared for both the living and the dead, bones of slaughtered cattle were cast into the communal fires, and household fires were left to burn out only to be reignited by the communal bonfire again.
Ancestors were honoured during this time, often invited back into the home, but harmful spirits were still outside, ready to spirit away any unknown human. To venture out during Samhain was to risk being taken away by the sluagh, harmful spirits of the restless dead.
So not to be recognised by the vengeful dead, folk would disguise themselves. Often donning costumes or grotesque masks before they went outside, to confuse and scare the restless dead.
In Scotland, this tradition was known as guising (galoshin). Today, we know it as trick or treat. The custom of going door to door collecting food for the feast, wood and fuel for the bonfires, and offerings for the aos sí (fairies or nature spirits) would evolve into the Halloween tradition we know today.
More locally, in Hebrides and Western Isles, a bier on which a corpse is carried upon, would be broken in half to prevent the sluagh using it to carry away the dead.
One common creature that prowled Samhain night in the Highlands was the Cat Sìth, a cat-like fairy from Celtic mythology. On Samhain it was believed that if you left a saucer of milk out for the fairy, it would bless your house. If you didn’t leave a saucer, your cows would be cursed and their milk would run dry.
Dark, cloudy sky with full moon shining through. Avery Cocozziello/Upslash
Christianity and Samhain
Samhain was an important time. Early texts present Samhain as a mandatory celebration, lasting three days and three nights where the whole community was required to attend and present themselves to local chieftains and kings. Anyone who did not attend would likely be punished by the gods. And any folk who committed a crime or used weapons during the celebration faced a death sentence.
As Christianity spread throughout Scotland and Ireland, gaining a foothold in pagan communities, church leaders began to reframe Samhain as a Christian celebration.
In the 5th century, Pope Boniface moved the celebration to May 13th and specified it should be a day to celebrate saints and martyrs. However, this didn’t end the traditional fire festivals in October and November. During the period of 590 – 604 AD the Pope advised that instead of trying to get rid of pagan custom, they should be reconstituted to a Christian religious purpose.
It wasn’t until the 9th century, under Pope Gregory that the celebration was moved back, overlapping with the fire festival and the church officially designated November 1st as All Saint’s Day and November 2nd as All Soul’s Day. The first night of Samhain, the 31st October, became All Hallows Eve – which morphed into what we know today as Halloween.
However, the old ways didn’t entirely die out and the traditions of the wandering dead were too powerful to be completely emersed with the new, more abstract Catholic feast honouring saints. And that’s why we can still recognised the beliefs of Samhain in our own Halloween traditions.
A carved Jack-O’-Lantern sitting on a wooden workbench, flanked by two whole pumpkins and carving implements. Canva.
The Legend of Stingy Jack
I bet you’ve made a few Jack-O’-Lanterns in your day. It’s a common, widely spread Halloween traditions. You might carve pumpkins, neeps, or even beets, but have you heard of the reason why we carve them?
The practice originates from Irish myth, all about a man named Jack who was a bit stingy. Now Jack was known throughout Ireland as a drunkard and a bit of a liar too. He could scrounge a pint out of you easily enough, and be gone before his round was called.
One day, the Devil who had decided to walk the night, overhead the tale of Jack’s evil deeds and silver tongue. Disbelieving, and a little bit envious, of the rumours, the Devil decided to hunt this Jack and see if he lived up to his reputation.
Jack, after having conned a few lads out a pint or two, was stumbling around the countryside, drunk and alone. Turning up towards a cobblestone path, Jack spotted a body down on the ground. An eerie grimace on his face. It was the Devil. Jack realised his end was near, that the Devil had finally come for him. He tried to run, but was too drunk to see clearly, and so he got down on his knees and made one last request – he asked the Devil to let him have one last drink.
Finding no reason to deny him, the Devil consented. He took Jack to the local pub and supplied him with as many drams and pints that Jack could take. Upon quenching his thirst, Jack asked the Devil to pay his tab. Drat, he didn’t have any coin on him!
Nor did the Devil. “Well,” Jack said, “How about you just turn yourself into a silver coin, pay the bartender, and poof back when he’s not looking.” The Devil didn’t look convinced, but Jack kept going. “Ah, come on. You’re the Devil, aren’t you?”
Indeed, the Devil was the Devil. Bolstered, and somewhat impressed with Jack’s nefarious mind, the Devil turned himself into a silver coin. Jack grabbed the coin quickly before the Devil could turn back, and stuck it in his pocket. A pocket that also contained a crucifix. The crucifix kept the Devil stuck in his coin form. The Devil demanded his release, and Jack told him he would grant it – if the Devil promised never to take his soul to hell. Annoyed, yet impressed, the Devil agreed and was set free.
Years later, Jack’s deeds caught up with him and he died. As he reached the Gates of St Peter, he was stopped. God looked Jack up and down, tutting. Such a man like Jack wasn’t allowed into Heaven! Lost, Jack then went down to the Gates of Hell and begged for admission into the underworld. The Devil shrugged, “I promised never to take your soul to Hell, remember?”
The Devil fulfilled his promise and didn’t take Jack into the underworld. Knowing Jack would be doomed to forever roam the world, between good and evil, the Devil took pity on the stingy drunk and gave him one glowing ember inside a hollowed-out turnip to light his way.
And that’s the story of the first ever Jack-O’-Lantern!
How is Samhain Celebrated Today?
Today, the beliefs of Samhain are still recognised across the world. Many modern pagans, Wiccans, and other spiritual groups celebrate the fire festival. Traditions include bonfires, music, feasting, and dancing. Some still make food for the dead, along with offerings of sweets and ales.
In the Highlands and Irelands, many small traditions are still upheld. Including leaving a saucer of milk out on Samhain night. Many people see Samhain now as the Celtic New Year, allowing celebrants to reflect on the events and goals of the year. It’s a time of remembrance, slowing down, and looking to the future.
Want to celebrate Samhain like we do? Celebrate Halloween and Samhain with our Samhain Collection.
