What is samhain?
Samhain, commonly pronounced “sow-enn” (sow rhyming with cow) is said to mean “summer’s end” and is one of eight pagan sabbats, or holidays. It is often considered the most important date in the pagan calendar, and it marks the beginning of the spiritual year (although some pagans celebrate the new year at another sabbat, Imbolc). Samhain falls halfway between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice on October 31st. Many pagans begin their celebrations at sundown on the 31st, and continue festivities through November 1st and sometimes beyond. (In the southern hemisphere, where summer is just beginning, pagans are celebrating Beltane.
