Was Halloween Scarier in the Olden Days?

The earliest known Halloween celebration traces back to a Celtic origin called the feast of Saiman. Known to be opposite the feast of Beltane, both were predicated on the position of the constellations, as well as the phase of the moon.

Since primitive man, the keeping of time has gone hand in hand with survival. Knowing the best times for an upcoming harvest would assure sustenance for tribes who may have learned where and when growing things came to fruition. Halloween, being close to the harvest was an extended festival to honor the souls of dead.

The abundance of the harvest coinciding with Halloween called for feasting. Long tables full of the cornucopia of the autumn season always left a place for a deceased loved one to attend the festivities. Hence, the evolution of All Souls Night.

The otherworldly focus on the souls of the dead brought other beliefs to coincide with Halloween night. Popular belief held that, with all of the attentions to the spirit world, less than desirable entities would also come forth.

More than just ghosts, wicked and foul smelling spirits were believed to come forth from some underworld place. Pumpkins were placed on the carriages with a candle to light the path of travel and illuminate wicked beings that were believed to have maleficent intentions toward the living.

From there, the carving of pumpkins with scary faces evolved. As it was hoped, the scary faces would frighten off the unwanted and evil ghosts who had not resolved their passing. A jack lantern on the carriage became commonplace for those who would travel by the dark of night.

The night of Halloween is believed to host the thinnest separation between the living world and the dead. Though the spirits of the dead were invited guests at this celebration, they were expected to return to their own world by the time the cock crows in the morning.

The world would go into darkness earlier. The harvest was finished, and the New Year began on November first. Consequently the Halloween festival also represented a New Year celebration.

Celtic gods were often depicted with having two faces. The time of year represents a threshold. One side of the face is looking back toward spirits past, while the other looks forward to the living.