Halloween is not just for kids. This fun-filled holiday has deep, meaningful roots that we can all learn from. This year, celebrate the history of Halloween with these Mindful lessons.

Samhain Rituals and History

We tend to think of Halloween as an American holiday filled with costumes and sugary treats, but it has ancient Celtic roots. Over 2,000 years ago, the Celts celebrated Samhain in what is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Northern France. This pre-Christian harvest festival was celebrated at the end of summer, from sunset on October 31st to sunrise on November 1st. For the Celts, this was their New Year’s Eve. Their holiday was less fun and games than the modern interpretation; it was extremely significant for the well-being of the community.

Create New Halloween Rituals

Want to learn more about the history of Halloween? Check out the four tips listed below. 

Honor the Dead

Today, ghosts and ghouls are thought to be simple, spooky Halloween fun, but for the Celts, visiting phantom spirits were real. The Celts believed that this was the one day a year that the boundary between the living and the dead disappeared, and they used this day to honor their dead.

This year, you can do the same. Honor a deceased loved one by saying a special prayer for them Halloween morning or by taking a moment to reminisce with an old photo album. You can even bake their favorite sweet treat and hand them out on Halloween in their honor.

Invest in Healthy Meals

Since the Samhain celebrated the harvest, the community would come together, light a bonfire, and host big feasts. They would bake fresh bread and make Colcannon, a mashed potato dish made with cabbage, ham, and scallions.

Today, communities still come together for Halloween, but instead of partaking in healthy meals most people spend a great portion of the day eating candy or drinking alcohol. This year, consider hosting a delicious Halloween lunch or dinner. You can serve tasty snacks like cashew cheese on kale chips. Or, instead of candy, serve baked apples and ice cream. Food is a great way to bring people together and it’s a great counterpart to all the sugar and calories associated with Halloween.

Look Toward the Future

For the Celts, Samhain was a time to contemplate the future. They believed the visits from phantom spirits helped the Druid priests to predict the future. Let this Druid history inspire you, too.

This Halloween, between the parties and trick-or-treating, have a moment of reflection. Have you achieved your goals for this year? If not, make the most of the remanding months.

Hold Your Loved Ones Closer

Samhain was also a time in which the Celts came together as family units. At the end of the festival, the Celts would return to their homes and light their fireplaces using the fire from the sacred bonfire. It was believed that the sacred fire would protect their homes and their loved ones during the harsh winter months.

This Halloween, end your nightly celebrations with a little family time. Play a game or watch a fun movie together. This is the time to hold your family tight.