🍁 From Samhain to Halloween: Edinburgh’s Ancient Autumn Traditions

From Samhain to Halloween: Edinburgh’s Ancient Autumn Traditions

As October fades into November and mist rolls through the closes of the Old Town, Edinburgh slips into its most atmospheric season.

The line between past and present blurs — and nowhere is that more fitting than in a city steeped in folklore, fire, and tradition.

The Ancient Festival of Samhain

Long before pumpkins, costumes, and candy, the Celtic people of Scotland celebrated Samhain (pronounced Sow-en), marking the end of the harvest and the beginning of the dark half of the year.

For ancient Scots, Samhain wasn’t about fear — it was about transition. Fires burned bright to guide spirits home, people left food offerings for ancestors, and communities gathered to share stories, music, and warmth against the encroaching dark.

Many of today’s Halloween customs — from costumes to carved lanterns — trace their roots back to this festival. Turnips were carved into grinning faces long before pumpkins crossed the Atlantic, their flickering candles warding off restless spirits.

Edinburgh: Where Folklore Still Breathes

Walk through Edinburgh’s streets in late autumn and you can still feel it:

• The Royal Mile, where costumed guides whisper ghostly tales in the twilight.

• Calton Hill, where fire festivals mark the turning of the seasons.

• Greyfriars Kirkyard, where shadows and stories linger longer than the daylight and visit the real Mackenzie Mausoleum, only accessed via City of the Dead Tours.

• Arthur’s Seat, where ancient Celts once lit their Samhain fires to honour the coming winter.

Even today, the Samhuinn Fire Festival, hosted by the Beltane Fire Society, reimagines this Celtic celebration with modern energy — fire dancers, drummers, and folklore brought to life against Edinburgh’s dark skyline.

Tradition Meets Modern Edinburgh

While the city’s past echoes through its closes, Edinburgh also embraces the modern spirit of Halloween — from haunted tours to candlelit dinners, creative costume parties to pumpkin trails in Inverleith Park.

Yet beneath the fun and festivities, something deeper endures: a recognition of Edinburgh’s timeless connection to nature, ritual, and storytelling.

It’s this blend — ancient ritual and urban rhythm — that gives Edinburgh its uniquely magical autumn atmosphere.

A Season for Storytelling, Reflection & Home

As the nights draw in and the fires are lit, there’s a sense of coming home — of community, warmth, and appreciation for the spaces that shelter us through the darker months.

And whether that home is a Georgian flat in New Town, a Shore apartment in Leith, or a tenement overlooking the castle, this is the season to take stock, prepare for winter, and celebrate the stories our homes hold.

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