Jean M. Roberts : The Book's Delight

                        Samhain: The Ancient Celtic Festival of the Dead As autumn deepens and the nights grow longer, we approach Samhain, one of the most significant seasonal festivals in the Celtic calendar. Rooted in the ancient traditions of Ireland and other Celtic-speaking regions, Samhain marks the end of the harvest, the beginning of winter, and a time when the boundary between the living and the dead was believed to grow thin. Who Celebrated Samhain? Samhain was observed by the ancient Celtic peoples, particularly in Ireland, Scotland, and parts of Britain. For these communities, the turning of the seasons was more than a change in the weather. It marked a fundamental shift in the rhythm of life, when the abundance of summer gave way to the hardship and uncertainty of winter. The festival was associated with the supernatural, the spirits of the dead, and otherworldly beings. In Irish tradition, Samhain appears...