Why is the date of Halloween significant?

The word Halloween comes from Hallowe’en, meaning “hallowed evening” or holy evening.The word itself is a Scottish term for All Hallows Eve - the evening before All Saints' Day.It is widely thought that Halloween traditions came from Celtic harvest festivals of Samhain, although some people support the view that Halloween began independently as a Christian festival.

The word Halloween comes from Hallowe’en, meaning 'hallowed evening' or holy eveningCredit: Getty – Contributor Samhain was a celebration of the end of the harvest season, and means "summer’spend."

People at this time thought the walls between worlds were thin and ghosts could pass through into our realm, and it was feared they may damage crops for the next season.

To appease any spirits, Gaels would set up places at their dinner tables for the spirits and light bonfires to scare off evil spirits.