Halloween Ecards

Halloween, also know as Samhain(generally pronounced Sow-wen) is probably the most popular pagan holiday. Marking summer’s end, Halloween was also New Year’s Eve as the following day was considered New Years Day(November 1st). Along with May 1st(Bealltuinn or Beltane) and August 1st(Lammas, also called Lughnasadh(pronounced Loo-NAS-ah)), Halloween was one of the three Gaelic or Celtic Harvest holidays. It was a day to clear your home of lost souls and celebrate the end of the harvest year. The Celtic Year was divided into two seasons–Summer and Winter called Sum and Gum. Today, Halloween is still considered a pagan holy-day but has evolved to be celebrated with customs such as bobbing for apples and going round door to door dressed in costume asking for treats. Neopagans recognize October 31st/November 1st as a sabbat day in which many different and varied customs and traditions for Samhain are practised.