Halloween

Here you are a post that I've written last year fort the Etsy Italia Team blog about Halloween, with new info.

This is a very ancient festival, linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-an or sow-in) that means "summer's end" in Gaelic language. During the night all the fires were doused and then lit again thanks to a large Bonfire were bones of slaugthered animals burned. The border between our world and the Otherwolrd became thin, mankind and supernatural creatures may meet, walk the same paths, eat the same food supplies (the traditional trick or treat). Both harmless and harmful spirits might pass through the border, so to avoid harm, humans disguises theirselves with costumes and masks.

Cherrypieartstamps

Signoraluna

After the Christianization Samhain was replaced by All Saints' Day and finally named Halloween (from "All Hollows Eve) from the XV century in England.
Nowadays Halloween is very famous in the United States and in Europe, the birthplace, it is back in the last years.
In many villages of Italy the tradition of the coming back of the dead, often walking in procession in the 2nd of November night, and lighting a candel inside a pumpkin, get Halloween similar to All Saints' Day.

So tonight, remember to lit a candle and put it on your window, it will show the way to your Ancestors, then put on a costume or a mask so harmful spirits can't touch you!




BOO!