Halloween can be traced back to the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain. The ancient Celts from Britain and Ireland observed the start of the new year on November 1, All Souls Day. They came to believe that on October 31, the worlds of the living and dead overlapped before the start of the new year. October 31 became All Hallows Eve, a time where the ghosts of the dead could return to destroy the harvest that was stored for winter. People, then, set bonfires on hilltops to ward off the evil spirits before the start of the winter season – but this is what we do now…..