Halloween had its origins in the Celtic Festival of Samhain meaning "end of summer." Samhain was the most important and sinister festivals of the Celtic calendar. On November 1 in ancient Britain and Ireland, it was believed that the world of the gods was made visible to mankind, and the "gods played many tricks on their mortal worshipers; it was a time fraught with danger, charged with fear, and full of supernatural episodes. Sacrifices and propitiations of every kind were thought to be vital, for without them the Celts believed they could not prevail over the perils of the season or counteract the activities of the deities."1 Around this time, people lit bonfires on hilltops for lighting hearth fires for the winter and to frighten away evil spirits. Masks and disguises were worn to avoid being recognized by the ghosts. "It was in these ways that beings such as witches, hobgoblins, fairies, and demons came to be associated" with Samhain, the precurser to Halloween.2
1. "Samhain."Encyclopædia Britannica.2009.Encyclopædia Britannica Online.30 Oct. 2009 <http://search.eb.com/eb/article-9065212>.
2. "Halloween." Encyclopædia Britannica.2009.Encyclopædia Britannica Online.30 Oct. 2009 <http://search.eb.com/eb/article-9038951>.
*Levitt, Helen. Title unknown. circa 1940.
