Samhain in Your Pocket: A Tiny Little Book About the Celtic Origins of Halloween

by I.E. Kneverday

Carving jack-o’-lanterns, bobbing for apples, dressing up in costumes, decorating with black and orange, giving out candy, trick-or-treating…what do all of these hallmarks of Halloween have in common? They all originated with the ancient Celts. They all originated with Samhain.

You’ve heard of it. Indirectly, you’ve probably already celebrated it. And if you’re not from Ireland or Scotland, you’ve definitely mispronounced Samhain

Perhaps the most important holiday on the ancient Celtic calendar, Samhain marks the end of summer and the end of the pastoral year. It is a liminal time—a time when the forces of light and darkness, warmth and cold, growth and blight, are in conflict.

A time when the barrier between the land of the living and the land of the dead is at its thinnest.

A time when all manner of spirits and demons are wont to cross over from the Celtic Otherworld.

Or at least that’s according to Irish mythology and folklore.

And that’s exactly what you’ll find inside Samhain in Your Pocket: summaries and analyses of the Irish myths and folktales (as well as historical and archaeological evidence) upon which our current knowledge of Samhain is built.

What’s more, we’ll trace the origins of Samhain back to its (potentially) Gaulish roots, and explore how modern Halloween traditions evolved from ancient Celtic customs and rituals.

Genres: Halloween

118 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 4, 2022

About the author

I. E. Kneverday is a writer of science fiction, horror, and fantasy, whose short fiction has been featured in publications and anthologies including Exoplanet Magazine, Drabbledark, and Chronos.

His short story “Fromagegoria” won first place in Zeroflash’s flash fiction competition in July of 2018. In April of 2018, his story “Codebreaker” was shortlisted in Sweek’s #MicroKey competition.

I. E. Kneverday’s first book, The Woburn Chronicles: A Trio of Supernatural Tales Set in New England’s Most Mysterious City, is available now in paperback as well as in the Kindle Store.

Say hi on Twitter (@Kneverday) and Facebook (facebook.com/kneverday) or get in touch via email (kneverday at gmail dot com).

You can also visit I. E. Kneverday’s Author Page on Amazon right here: amazon.com/author/kneverday

Reviews

[D. Peach · Rating 5 out of 5]

After finishing Kneverday’s book Irish Myths, I went straight into this one, book two of his pocket series. I’m well versed on the fun to be had by modern kids (and some adults) on Halloween, but didn’t know the origins of jack o’ lanterns, dressing up in costumes, or trick-or-treating. I think kids would love learning the roots of this holiday as much as I did.

The history of these traditions (and many more) reach way back to the ancient Celts. They’re delightfully shared in this two-hour read that also elaborates on the Irish gods of death and tells tales of Stingy Jack (Jack of the Lantern) and numerous headless horsemen. The rich meaning behind Samhain (and how to properly pronounce this most important of celebrations) is detailed in the book with a lot of humor and respect. A highly enjoyable read.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

With verbal aplomb and hilarious repartee, Kneverday breaks down the Irish origins of Halloween, from the correct pronunciation of Samhain to the various Irish mythological figures key to its significance and lore. This little book packs an incredible amount of information, distilled into digestible bites that include citations from historians and researchers, presented with the style and finesse of Kneverday’s tongue-in-cheek humour. It’s a quick, fun read that just draws you in and I will definitely be checking out other works by this author.

If you are intrigued by Halloween, Irish folklore and traditions, or if you just want to be lightly entertained while learning something, this is the book for it.