Halloween Word Origins  Halloween can be traced back to Samhain,
the ancient Celtic harvest festival honoring the Lord of the
Dead. Observed on November 1 in the British Isles and parts of
France, Samhain also marked the beginning of the Celtic New
Year. Because it was a time of transition between the old and
the new, the Celts believed that the souls of those who had died
during the previous year gathered to travel together to the land
of the dead and it was also a time when those who had died
before that returned to visit their homes. November 1 was also
considered the end of the summer period, the date on which the
herds were returned from pasture and land tenures were renewed.
People lit bonfires to scare away evil spirits and "sacrificed"
fruits and vegetables, hoping to appease the spirits of the
deceased. Sometimes people disguised themselves in masks and
costumes so that the visiting spirits would not recognize them.
Charms, spells, and predictions of the future were all part of
the eve of Samhain. In