Halloween has its origins in the festival of Samhain among the Celts of ancient Britain and Ireland. 1st November was considered the end of the summer period, the date on which the herds were returned from pasture and land tenures were renewed. It was also a time when the souls of those who had died were believed to return to visit their homes. People set bonfires on hilltops to frighten away evil spirits and for relighting their hearth fires for the winter, and they sometimes wore masks and other disguises to avoid being recognized by the ghosts thought to be present. It was in these ways that beings such as witches, hobgoblins, fairies, and demons came to be associated with the day.
In the 7th century AD, Pope Boniface IV established All Saints
