Back in the fall, I was able to participate in the Galician traditions of Samhain, a festival similar to our Halloween, and Magosto, which celebrates the beginning of the winter season. My school combined the celebrations into one extravaganza called Samagosto, also combining the two words for extra fun. It was a wonderful day at school, and I am glad that I got to partake in a bit of Galician history and tradition.
The Samhain tradition comes from an ancient Celtic tradition celebrating the end of the estación luminosa (light season) and the beginning of the estación oscura (dark season). It is celebrated on the night of October 31st, just like our Halloween. Due to the coincidence of our two holidays, many of our traditions of dressing up in costumes, collecting candy, putting up decorations, and scaring strangers have become a part of the Samhain celebration in Galicia. In fact, our tradition of carving pumpkins and lighting candles within them also comes from the Celtic Samhain tradition. It is believed traditionally that on this night, the barrier between the physical world and the spiritual world is opened, allowing spirits of dead loved ones to come back and seek out their families.
