From: aaldrich@cybernet.cse.fau.edu (Al Aldrich)
Subject: Re: halloween???
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 1993 11:07:48 GMT

Anonymous question:

> : My professor asked me to find out why the pagan new year begins on
> : Halloween.  Could you please help me with that question?

suliin@nic.cerf.net (Paul Suliin) writes:
> The Pagan New Year begins variously at either Hallows (also called
> Samhain) or at the Winter Solstice, depending on the particular
> tradition.  Those who hold with the Samhain New Year feel that
> Hallows represents a time of endings and respect for endings, as we
> honor our dead and look ahead to the new year -- because in our view
> nothing ever really ends: an "ending" is just the mark for a new
> beginning.  So in that context it makes sense to regard Halloween as
> the end of the old year and the beginning of the new.

All of that is true. There is also the aspect of many traditions, mine
included, which equate the wheel of the year with the growing cycles
of nature.. i.e. in fall the harvest `kills' the crops and the year
begins again. As Paul alluded, other traditions relate the wheel more
to the heavens and celebrate the birth of the Sun as the beginning of
the new year. I think.. does this make sense?

BB
al
===

From: paik@cgl.citri.edu.au (Karen Paik)
Date: 27 Oct 93 01:19:06 GMT

    Hi,
>     My professor asked me to find out why the pagan new year begins on
> Halloween.  Could you please help me with that question?

    As I understand it, the pagan year ENDS on Halloween. It doesn't
really start again until the Winter solstice when the days start
growing longer.  The time in between is spent in reflection and
planning for the coming year.  People now don't really like the idea
of being `outside' of the year, so some of the starting the year stuff
gets moved to Halloween. It made more sense when you spent all the
`between' time in a snow-bound hut in the Middle Ages. Supplies kept
you going and you weren't desperate enough to fight the winter yet.

                                               May You Burn More Brightly,
                                                           Andy
                                             paik@godzilla.cgl.citri.edu.au