Long before jack-o’-lanterns and trick-or-treating, ancient Celts gathered around great bonfires on the last night of October. They called it Samhain — a sacred festival marking the end of harvest and the beginning of winter, when the veil between the living and the dead grew thin.
In this episode of Holiday History, we travel back over 2,000 years to uncover how that ancient night of fire and spirit transformed into the Halloween we know today. From Celtic rituals and Roman festivals to medieval “souling,” immigrant folklore, and modern candy-coated traditions — discover the full story of how Samhain became Halloween.
Learn how:
- The Celts honored their ancestors and lit protective bonfires
- Roman harvest festivals blended with Celtic belief
- Christianity reshaped Samhain into All Hallows’ Eve
- Irish immigrants brought jack-o’-lanterns and ghost stories to America
- Halloween evolved into a global night of costumes, candy, and community
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