What kind of rituals did Samhain involve?
Samhain traditionally involved rituals of divination, because of the idea that this was a liminal time when the “veil” between the human world and the otherworld became thin. With the perceived breaking down of barriers between the human and spirit realms, communication was thought to become possible between the living and the dead. People may also have believed that they would be privy to supernatural aid or otherworldly knowledge at this time. Other rituals may have been symbolically to do with the juxtaposition of life and death. Some divinatory rituals have survived in form of games of “snap-apple” and “bobbing for apples.” What was the significance of lighting bonfires? There are many reasons why bonfires might be lit. One practical one is for warmth–the end of October is a cold, dark time. Around a fire is a traditional setting for storytelling sessions and the light and heat from a large fire add to the festive atmosphere. There’s an Irish custom that it is good luck to jump th
