The origins of Halloween are associated with the Celtic feast of Samhain, which marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of winter. In Celtic lore, the boundaries between the living and the dead became blurred as the Celts believed the souls of the dead visited the living on the night of 31 October. On Samhain, Celtic spiritual leaders known as druids made predictions about the future and offered sacrifices of animals and gifts to the gods. Over the course of their 400-year rule, the Romans also merged their own traditions with the Celts, which included the festivals of Parentalia and Pomona, honoring the passing of the dead and their goddess of fruits and trees, respectively.

In addition to its pagan origins, Christianity has also shaped Halloween as we know it today. Christian missionaries interpreted the existing practices of the Celts and other ancient societies in their quest for religious conversion. The holidays of All Saints’ Day, also known as All Hallows and Day of All the Saints, celebrated on 1 November, followed by All Souls' Day on 2 November, translated the pagan views of worshiping the dead and natural spirits into Church-sanctioned time to honour saints, martyrs, and recently departed.

Over the last three millennia, Halloween has remained relevant because it continues to integrate new aspects of the social imaginary of every generation. From bonfires, play parties and parades to dressing up in traditional costumes of devils, angels, the latest hero or monsters, Halloween is the scariest night of the year because beliefs in the supernatural and spiritual world are still an integral part of our modern societies.

This month, we feature Halloween-themed books and items, beginning with engravings of the Dance of Death, a funeral invitation from the eighteenth century, to a poem about Halloween written in 1785 by Robert Burns. Featured in the drawers are images of witches, ghosts, and skeletons, among other highlights.

We at the Fisher Library wish everybody a happy trick-or-treating season!

On Display (October): Halloween