The Pagan Origins of Familiar Halloween Rituals



The world was once full of warding magic: gargoyles and guardian lions hewn from stone, evil eye amulets, horseshoes hung over doorways
Look into the history of jack-o-lanterns, wind chimes, and saying “god bless you” after a sneeze. You will find origins that are apotropaic (a fancy word that means “having the power to... See more
Many of us are looking for opportunities to come together with others, to make sense of time and the wild uncertainties of the world out there, and perhaps even to experience ‘enchantment’ in the places where we live! Lots of us don’t feel totally comfortable with formalised religion, so we’ve lost access to many of the rites of passage that were... See more
In conversation: folk
Then it became the custom in Rome to celebrate it at the time of the winter solstice instead.