History of halloween From western European

Halloween is thought to have been influenced by Celtic folk customs and beliefs, some of which have pagan roots.Historian Nicholas Rogers, exploring the origins of Halloween, notes that while "some folklorists have detected its origins in the Roman feast of Pomona, the goddess of fruits and seeds, or in the festival of the dead called Parentalia, it is more typically linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain", which comes from the Old Irish for "summer's end". Samhain (pronounced SAH-win or SOW-in) was the first and most important of the four quarter days in the medieval Gaelic calendar and was celebrated in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. It was held on or about October 31 – November 1 and kindred festivals were held at the same time of year by the Brythonic Celts; for example Calan Gaeaf (in Wales), Kalan Gwav (in Cornwall) and Kalan Goañv (in Brittany). Samhain and Calan Gaeaf are mentioned in some of the earliest Irish and Welsh literature. The names have been used by historians to refer to Celtic Halloween customs up until the 19th century, and are still the Gaelic and Welsh names for Halloween.

Samhain/Calan Gaeaf marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter or the 'darker half' of the year.Like Beltane/Calan Mai, it was seen as a time when the souls of the dead, and other beings such as fairies, could more easily come into our world. The souls of the dead were said to revisit their homes. Feasts were had, at which the souls of dead kin were beckoned to attend and a place set at the table for them.However, harmful spirits and fairies were also thought to be active. People took steps to allay or ward-off these harmful spirits/fairies, which is thought to have influenced today's Halloween customs.

As at Beltane/Calan Mai, bonfires were lit in parts of Scotland, Ireland, Mann and Wales. They were deemed to have protective and cleansing powers and were used in divination rituals. At the household festivities in these areas, there were many rituals intended to divine the future of those gathered, especially with regard to death and marriage.

In parts of Ireland, Scotland, Mann and Wales, the festival also included guising and mumming.This involved people going from house to house in costume (or in disguise) reciting songs in exchange for food.Guising at the festival goes back at least as far as the 18th century.It may have come from the Christian custom of souling (see below) or it may have a Celtic origin, with the costumes being a means of imitating, or disguising oneself from, the spirits/fairies. In some places, young people dressed as the opposite gender. In parts of Wales, men went about dressed as fearsome beings called gwrachod.In parts of southern Ireland, the guisers included a hobby horse – a man dressed as a Láir Bhán (white mare) would lead youths house-to-house collecting food; by giving them food, the household could expect good fortune from the 'Muck Olla'.

Elsewhere in Europe, mumming and hobby horses were a part of other festivals. However, they may have been "particularly appropriate to a night upon which supernatural beings were said to be abroad and could be imitated or warded off by human wanderers". When "imitating malignant spirits it was a very short step from guising to playing pranks". The guisers commonly played pranks in Ireland and the Scottish Highlands. Guising and playing pranks at Halloween spread to England in the 20th century.

The "traditional illumination for guisers or pranksters abroad on the night in some places was provided by turnips or mangel wurzels, hollowed out to act as lanterns and often carved with grotesque faces to represent spirits or goblins". These were common in parts of Ireland and the Scottish Highlands in 19th century.They were also found in Somerset (see Punkie Night). In the 20th century they spread to other parts of England and became generally known as jack-o'-lanterns

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