Halloween. Folklore. Traditions. I am amazed at the popularity of Halloween, and equally amazed at how closely it resembles its ancient Celtic roots. The British Isle Celts referred to this holiday as Samhain. It occurred at the end of the Celtic year. The contrast between the “light” part of the year and the “dark” part of the year created “thin spaces” which allowed spirits to leave their realm and enter the earthly realm. Good spirits, usually ancestors, and bad spirits would present themselves. Treats would be left for ancestors, and all manners of tricks would be at play to ward the bad spirits away, mostly by wearing costumes and disguising oneself to escape the attention of these evil actors.
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