The Celts divided the year into light and dark halves, with Samhain marking the end of the light half and the beginning of the dark half; they lit bonfires and wore masks, believing that the boundary between worlds blurred on this night, so they needed to protect themselves and honor the dead
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What is Samhain?
Samhain is an ancient Celtic seasonal festival held on the eve of November 1, regarded as the precursor to Halloween
Key points
PointTime: the eve of November 1, adjacent to Halloween on October 31
PointCore: seasonal transition + bonfires + masks
PointIt later merged with the Catholic All Saints' Day and evolved into today's Halloween
FAQ
Is Samhain still celebrated?
The modern revival movement has celebrations, but it is not the same as commercialized Halloween