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134 Notes

This episode is a brief look at the development of what is now known as Halloween - starting with Samhain.  The episode begins with a passage that Poe wrote about Stonehenge.  It follows the development of Halloween as a holiday - from Samhain to All Souls day to “trick or treat.”

• What is Samhain?
• What Halloween custom was mentioned in a letter to John Allan?
• What is Feralia?
• What is Pomona?
• Who is Mary Fowlds?
• Wha do burning chestnuts have to do with Halloween?
• What was Halloween like in the 1920’s and 1930’s?
• When did the Celtic people celebrate their new year? 

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:45 Samhain
• 04:02 Stonehenge and Poe
• 09:05 All Saints Day and other Roman influences
• 16:15 Halloween in America
• 18:13 Excerpt of letter from Mary Fowlds
• 19:45 Halloween develops as a holiday
• 22:10 Future episodes
• 22:47 Sources
• 22:47 Outro

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