Samhain: Welcoming Winter and Remembering the Dead

Samhain by the Victorian fairy painter John Anster Fitzgerald

As October draws to a close and the nights get longer Samhain is the festival that marks the transition from autumn to winter. It’s a festival with a very long tradition of seasonal gatherings, of folklore and of stories about the supernatural.

In earlier traditions, Samhain marked the end of the harvest and was associated with bonfires, divination, and stories of the Otherworld. Over the centuries, many of those traditions have blended with Halloween, though the two celebrations have taken on very different meanings.

For many contemporary Pagans, Samhain remains an important time to honour ancestors, remember loved ones who have died and reflect on the passing year. Some celebrate on 31 October, while others follow an astrological date in early November.

But how much of today’s Samhain can be traced to older traditions, and how has the festival changed over time?

The full article explores Samhain’s history, customs across communities, its connections to Halloween, and its place in contemporary Pagan practice.

Read the full article: Samhain: Traditions, History and the Changing Seasons