Samhain is a pagan
religious festival originating from an ancient Celtic spiritual
tradition. In modern times, Samhain (a Gaelic word pronounced
“SAH-win”) is usually celebrated from
October 31 to November 1 to welcome in the harvest and usher in “the
dark half of the year.” Celebrants believe that the barriers between
the physical world and the spirit world break down during Samhain,
allowing more interaction between humans and denizens of the
Otherworld.
Because the Celts believed that the barrier between worlds was
breachable during Samhain, they prepared offerings that were left
outside villages and fields for fairies, or
Sidhs. It was expected that ancestors
might cross over during this time as well, and Celts would dress as
animals and monsters so that fairies were not tempted to kidnap them.
Read more: Who were the Celts?