http://thereluctantpaladin.blogspot.com/2009/10/girl-friday-10022009.html
The Ancient Celtic Festival of Samhain
One the Eve of Samhain, the 31st October, ancient Celtic peoples believed that the veil between this world and other more mysterious realms was at its thinnest. This was a time at which creatures of the other world were at large. Witches would fly on their broomsticks, or ride on tabby cats transformed into black horses, around the countryside. Fairies and hobgoblins would also roam the earth, adding an extra air of glamour, and fear to the peasant population.
At this dark time of the year there was much divination to shed light on what the New Year would bring. Bright fires were lit local high points across the Scottish Highlands, and communities could become quite competitive over the size of their bonfires, competing with the neighbouring communities whose fires would be visible for miles around. Whoever threw a stone into the embers of the fire would learn whether they were “fey”, or destined for great misfortune in the year to come. If the stone lay broken, or was missing, in the morning then there was much to fear in the year ahead, whereas an intact stone was a promising sign.
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