Sawhain

Sawhain, also spelled “Samhain” (pronounced “SAW-wane”) is a Celtic Pagan festival observed from sunset on October 31 to sunset on November 1 and marks the Celtic New year, celebrating the end of summer and the harvest season. Festivities included dancing, feasting, spending time in nature, and honoring ancestors. 

Since this day also signaled (and still does!) the beginning of winter, which was associated with death, it was a time where many Celts believed that spirits of past loved ones could visit the living in dreams, offering advice or simply a comforting word. This is one of the reasons why there is a correlation with the dead or ghosts and Halloween in a modern context. There are often associations between the dead and Celtic Pagan traditions with things that are evil or wicked, but this modern context runs the risk of being stereotypical and is seen as offensive to people who identify as Pagan. 

To modern day Pagans, Sawhain is just as sacred as any other holiday and is extremely important to those who are honoring their past loved ones. Common ways of celebrating as a modern Pagan include—but are not limited to—sharing stories of ancestors with family, or gathering together with close friends as a way of honoring the present. There are also activities that most would consider more ‘typical’ for Halloween, such as carving pumpkins or baking tasty treats. However, that is not to say that someone who identifies as Pagan does not enjoy partaking in the other fun things that Halloween has to offer(like trick or treating!). 

Keep in mind that Halloween has been seen for a long time as not only a day with spookiness and fun, but also as a sacred day that many people still observe in their own special way. Stay open to the possibilities of other religions' unique ways of celebrating—the best thing to do is ask questions in a thoughtful manner rather than assuming.