Calan Gaeaf

The First day of a season or month is known as Calan in Welsh. Calan Mai is Mayday, Dydd Calan New Years Day, and Calan Gaeaf the first day of winter, and the begining of the Celtic New Yyear. Celts believed that at this time the souls of their ancestors could return to earth and created masks that would keep evil spirits away, and carved fierce faces from turnips to the same effect.

The Christian church adapted this pagan festival to become All Saints Day and All Souls Day, but most well known today is of course Halloween, the name coming from 'All Hallows Even'. Some traditions from its pagan origins are still observed (such as the carving of turnips and pumpkins). In Welsh Halloween is Nos Galan Gaeaf, and a tradition in a similar vein to trick or treating was known as 'gast neu geiniog', though many of the old traditions have been lost to more commercialy driven ones. Calan Gaeaf/Halloween remains though, a 'tradition' derived from our Celtic origins!