As we move into the first day of November 2009 It is important for us to wish you all a very happy Celtic New Year.
Halloween traces it origins to the ancient Celtic feast of Samhain, meaning literally, the end of summer, the “lighter half” of the year, and the beginning of the “darker half”. Oiche Shamhna was considered a very holy time, when the boundaries between our world and the other world were broken, and the dead could return to the places where they had lived. Many rituals of Oiche Shamhna involved providing hospitality for dead ancestors. The Celts put out food and drink for the dead with great ceremony, and left their windows, doors, and gates unlocked to give the dead free passage into their homes. Bobbing for apples, another traditional Samhain pastime, was a reference to the Celtic Emhain Abhlach, “Paradise of Apples,” where the dead, having eaten of the sacred fruit, enjoyed a happy immortality.
Spirits entered our world on the eve of November, but not all of them were friendly. The images of spirit-guardians were carved onto turnips which were then set at the front of doors to keep out unwelcome spirits. The Gaelic custom of wearing costumes and masks, was an attempt to confuse the evil spirits. With the advent of Christianity, Samhain was changed to Hallowmas, or All Saints’ Day, to commemorate the souls of the blessed dead who had been canonized that year, so the night before became popularly known as Halloween.All Hallows Eve, or November 2nd, became All Souls Day, when prayers were to be offered to the souls of all who had departed this world and those who were waiting in Purgatory for entry into Heaven. Throughout the centuries, Celtic pagan beliefs were integrated with Christian beliefs and celebrated from Oct 31st through to November 5th.
We hope you celebrated in style with family and friends the magic of dressing up as ghouls, ghosts and witches as you took out your young ones to trick and treat around your neighbour’s and friend’s doors.
It is therefore important for us always to remember our departed loved ones at this time of year as they continue their journey into eternity and we continue ours here on planet earth.
