SOME HALLOWE'EN FACTS

There are misconceptions about Hallowe'en, so we have stated a few facts about it.

1.  Hallowe'en was originally a pre-Christian festival held in Ireland.  It was called Samhain.  Samhain was not the name of a pagan god.

2.  An equivalent feast was held in other Celtic countries.  It was regarded as the beginning of the year.  It was regarded as being a time when access to and from the Otherworld was easy.

3.  After the Irish and Scots became Christians, they continued to celebrate Hallowe'en, but it was not regarded as a pagan feast, merely as a time of year when spooky magical beings roved about. 

4.  It is still celebrated in this way by many, although modern Pagans have revived it as a pagan feast.  It has no connection with Satanism.

5.  The name Hallowe'en is given to it because it was the evening before the Christian Feast of All Saints (November 1st).

6.  It was brought to the United States by Irish and Scottish immigrants.

7'  It was the custom in Ireland to carve spooky heads from turnips at this time.  In America pumpkins were adopted.

We hope this has cleared up many false ideas about Hallowe'en which have circulated.  By the way, Samhain is pronounced as sowin.  First syllable rhymes with cow, second with gin.