Astronomical roots of Halloween

The Western islands of Europe celebrated the annual cycle in terms of the light half/dark half of the year as May 1st and November 1st respectively but while Ireland retained the context of Samhain/Bealtaine into the era of denominational Christianity, the English only retained May Day and shifted their ancient marker of Halloween for the dark half of the year to the political Guy Fawkes night -

https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureU...-Celebrations/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes_Night

It then becomes easier to appreciate why Halloween became popular in the USA while St Patrick's day close to the Equinox became their version of May Day.

Nature, at least in terms of an annual cycle, goes into dormancy by November 1st so their is a natural sadness and other-worldliness about the period which marks the dark half of the year beginning and the light half ending. The more Northerly States in America experience the transition much like their counterparts in Europe , more in terms of a coldness cycle than the great daylight/darkness swings of Northern Europe, but effectively this is where appreciation of the seasons mesh when done as a half cycle rather than the quarter Spring/Summer/Autumn/Winter cycle.


People may not be even aware that they live and celebrate life by the daily motion and orbital motion of the Earth depending on the relationship of their location to the Sun. I see so many here playing with words when they have nothing to say when they could just as easily adapt to the astronomy that really matters.