The Meaning of Hallowe'en

[Jack of Kent]

The meaning of Hallowe'en, if it has any at all, is about spirits.

For centuries, Hallowe'en was merely the Eve of the Hallows (or Holies), that is the day before the significant feast of All Saints Day, which in turn was the day before All Souls Day.

These two hallowed days were a form of early Remembrance Sundays, where people thought of the souls of the departed. The eve before them merely was the start of this holy time, sometimes celebrated by bell ringing and visits to houses.

Hallowe'en, therefore, marked the start a celebration of life and death, of the transition from earthly existence to spriritual eternal life. Even for secularists (like me), it can be a time of rememberance and celebration.

Now, Hallowe'en - thanks to its very recent transformation in the American cultural melting pot, is associated with a confused hotchpotch of all the grotesques of the supernatural and paranormal world.

But historically the day has nothing to do with vampires (or mummies or zombies), which are merely survivals after death of ambitious or awkward corpses. Quite the reverse, the day is about the survival of the spirirt not the body.

And the day certanly has nothing to do with witchcraft, which is the use of unseen forces (historically, usually the devil or various demons) to interfere with the everyday world.

In contrast, the day was a prelude to celebrations of those of hallowed memory, in very much a Christian context.

So when you see Vampire or Witch costumes and paraphenalia in the shops or at parties, just shake your head dismissively.

They are like Easter Bunnies on Christmas Morning.

Instead, only the child with the sheet over his head has got it more-or-less right.

Happy Hallowe'en!


[Copied over from my Blog should it be of any interest to you guys.]

[Mulder]

Plugging your blog, eh ...

Let's not forget that this is a Celtic festival (Samhain) which was 'christianised'. Personally, I'm glad that it's been taken back from the Christians, even if it means we have to suffer trick or treat!

Happy Samhain.

[skbuncks]

Dont get me started on Trick or Treat. Its nothing more than an extortion racket perpetrated by small children. Bring back penny for a lantern I say...

[Jack of Kent]

Plugging your blog, eh ...

Not with any primary intention: I sometimes blog about things which may be of interest to fellow skeptics. It saves me typing it all out twice and indeed it saves you having to actually go to my Blog

Let's not forget that this is a Celtic festival (Samhain) which was 'christianised'. Personally, I'm glad that it's been taken back from the Christians, even if it means we have to suffer trick or treat!

But that was not (I think) a celebration with any marked supernatural element (though it has been appropriated by modern Pagans).

I understand it was on 1 November and heralded the onset of winter. It was, however, a time for merry-making, love-making, and parties, and so may have had an influence on modern Hallowe'en...

[Jack of Kent]

BTW, if any of you guys fancy coming to a rather distinctive Hallowe'en Party in London this evening, do PM me...

[Pebble]

But that was not (I think) a celebration with any marked supernatural element (though it has been appropriated by modern Pagans).

I understand it was on 1 November and heralded the onset of winter. It was, however, a time for merry-making, love-making, and parties, and so may have had an influence on modern Hallowe'en...

Obviously some disagreement on this point:

http://www.neopagan.net/Halloween-Origins.html

The dead are honoured and feasted, not as the dead, but as the living spirits of loved ones and of guardians who hold the root-wisdom of the tribe. With the coming of Christianity, this festival was turned into Hallowe’en (31 October), All Hallows [All Saints Day] (1 November), and All Souls Day (2 November). Here we can see most clearly the way in which Christianity built on the Pagan foundations it found rooted in these isles. Not only does the purpose of the festival match with the earlier one, but even the unusual length of the festival is the same.

[Tomolac]

my father always used to tell me Halloween was the celebration of the day we used to burn witches, guess that's something else he was wrong about

Bring back penny for a lantern I say...

what's this?

[MischiefMonkey]

I remember last year posting how wonderful Halloween is in my village.

And again this year has been wonderful.

What ever the previous meaning, it is now a children's festival. They dress up in cute costumes, mind their manners while calling at participating houses (identified by a pumpkin or some other Halloween decoration)

It seems (at least round here) the more commercialised it has become, the more structured and respectful it has become. More fun for the kiddies, less harassment for the adults.

[lazerustheduck]

Obviously some disagreement on this point:

http://www.neopagan.net/Halloween-Origins.html

The dead are honoured and feasted, not as the dead, but as the living spirits of loved ones and of guardians who hold the root-wisdom of the tribe. With the coming of Christianity, this festival was turned into Hallowe’en (31 October), All Hallows [All Saints Day] (1 November), and All Souls Day (2 November). Here we can see most clearly the way in which Christianity built on the Pagan foundations it found rooted in these isles. Not only does the purpose of the festival match with the earlier one, but even the unusual length of the festival is the same.

Not really a good source as all paganism is romantic made up Woo and the farthest it really goes back is to about the Victorian period.

[Trinoc]

Not really a good source as all paganism is romantic made up Woo and the farthest it really goes back is to about the Victorian period.

So who were the pagans the Romans and the early Christian monks wrote about?

[lazerustheduck]

So who were the pagans the Romans and the early Christian monks wrote about?

Totally different people to the pagans today.
OK so I should of said all modern paganism.

[Jack of Kent]

Not really a good source as all paganism is romantic made up Woo and the farthest it really goes back is to about the Victorian period.

Subject to this being taken to mean modern Paganism, Mr Duck is entirely correct.

[Pebble]

Not really a good source as all paganism is romantic made up Woo and the farthest it really goes back is to about the Victorian period.

Perhaps you prefer evidence from Greek pagans - they had the sense to leave some records:

http://www.cs.utk.edu/~mclennan/BA/GSF.html

In classical Greek times there were several important festivals that nominally occur at the end of October and beginning of November. Two of these, which occur on the same day (7 Puanepsion), are especially interesting; they are followed on the next day by the Theseia (for Theseus), which is intimately connected with the first two.

The Ôskhophoria, in honor of Dionysos, occurs on the same day as the Puanepsia. It may seem odd to honor Apollo and Dionysos, so often taken as polar opposites, on the same day, but we must remember that They share Delphi, and this is the time of year when the changing of the guard occurs. An ancient pot shows Them shaking hands over the Omphalos (World Naval) at Delphi.

[lazerustheduck]

Perhaps you prefer evidence from Greek pagans - they had the sense to leave some records:

http://www.cs.utk.edu/~mclennan/BA/GSF.html

In classical Greek times there were several important festivals that nominally occur at the end of October and beginning of November. Two of these, which occur on the same day (7 Puanepsion), are especially interesting; they are followed on the next day by the Theseia (for Theseus), which is intimately connected with the first two.

The Ôskhophoria, in honor of Dionysos, occurs on the same day as the Puanepsia. It may seem odd to honor Apollo and Dionysos, so often taken as polar opposites, on the same day, but we must remember that They share Delphi, and this is the time of year when the changing of the guard occurs. An ancient pot shows Them shaking hands over the Omphalos (World Naval) at Delphi.

Doesn't seem to really have any bearing on Halloween celebrations apart from it being the same time of year. If we look at many cultures I'm sure they also have similar festivals at this time.

[lazerustheduck]

Just to say on the last post if I'm missing something forgive me, it's nowhere near my area of expertise.