All of a sudden somewhere around the end of September and especially October suddenly everything is tagged with #spookyseason and other festive sentiments but what is the deal?
Yes, Halloween is coming and most people love the season but why is it considered the most frightening time of year? Is it just a big gimmick by the candy companies and fueled by people inner child? There is some logic to it.
Back before we could order our food over the internet from the grocery store and have it appear at our door step. Even further back before the grocery store. Humans came from an agricultural society. We grew our own food. With the coming winter food begins to become scarce this time of year. In the Celtic calendar and similar ancient calendars around the world, festivals or observances echoed the uncertainty of the coming winter.
Samhain (pronounced most commonly as Sow-wehn) is the third and last harvest of the Celtic year. After the last of the crops are brought in and stored there is a heavy awareness that there will be no further food outside of animal harvesting for meat. The days are getting visibly shorter and the night was much scarier before modern lighting. Large predictors like bears are stocking up for their torpor sleep over the winter and the small animals like squirrels are stashing their goods to try to last though the coming cold months. Big change is coming and this time of year illustrates it in so many ways is we stop and listen. There is also a belief that the veil between the world of the living and the dead thins at this time of a the year. There is a increase in deaths this time of year be it from illness or just some astral timing the draw of the afterlife is strong. This is also why Hispanic cultures have their remembrance holidays this time of year. There is comings and goings from the other side and our ancestors are easier to contact.
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