THE HOLIDAYS WHICH CELEBRATED THE END OF THE HARVEST

It froze last night marking the first night of frost for this year — and the official end of harvest.

Samhain is a Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest as well as the beginning of winter or the “dark part” of the year.

It is held the 1st of November with celebrations beginning on the evening of 31 October, since the Celtic day began and ended at sunset as are days in Judaism. It’s one of four Gaelic seasonal festivals including Imbolc, Beltane and Lughnasa. Historically it was widely observed throughout the British Isles (also called Sauin or Sawin). 

Sukkot (Judaism) lasts a week and celebrates the end of the harvest. This year it began on October 9 and ended October 16th. Because it is linked to the Jewish calendar, its date varies.

Halloween is the trickle down holiday left over from the days when the end of the harvest was one of the most important holidays for everyone. Good harvests foretold a year when no one would starve.

As farming has become an “industry” in which few people are involved, these autumn festivals have morphed into kids in costumes getting candy from neighbors. But once upon a time, they were important.

Categories: #FallFoliage, #foliage, Anecdote, Blackstone Valley, farm, History, Holidays