The Roman, Germanic, Celtic, and Norse pagan origins of Halloween and other holidays.

OPEN LECTURE

Roman, Germanic, Celtic, and Norse paganism was deeply rooted in European customs, including holiday festivals. In honor of Halloween we'll consider how our present-day customs echo practices in the Medieval Celtic holiday of Samhain. We'll also look at other pagan legacies that were Christianized and ultimately secularized to form our contemporary calendar of holidays in Canada.

The presentation ends around 9.00. The exchange of ideas usually continues until 10, or even later, while we share complimentary snacks and beverages.