The 8 Keltic celebrations and new year. The true roots of halloween

Olivier Clamaron
31 oct.
22 min de lecture

Share of October 31, 2025

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Hello and beautiful energies of Samain, Samhain, Samonios to you all.

Or Halloween.

But for my part, I will celebrate the Keltic New Year and the festival of the "Teine Eigin" the great fire of the end of summer and the passage from the light season "semorotlio" or "samorotio" to the dark season "gaem" or "ghemorotlio".

They also spoke of the Teine Tlachdga: the fire of the Temple of the "Good God" the Dagda, who is the child of the fertilization of the energies of the Earth and the Sacred Feminine.

Samonios is also the name of the month equivalent to November, which corresponds "to the time of the acorn gathering" or "of the end of summer"

Thanks to the Traditional Druidic College and the sites Morpheus and Phosphenia which share information that is very rarely found on the eight great Traditional Festivals that were celebrated by the Kelts and their calendar, the Keltic Time: "ceticon amser ou aivestu".

It must be remembered that our ancestors like most of the first peoples, -as we still see in Mesoamerica-, believed in reincarnation and therefore were in permanent interaction with "the Other-world or the Non World". And that there was therefore no fear nor the very negative presentation often present in Halloween.

On the other hand, the Hallouines and the Falas were the name of Kelto-odinic "healer priestesses". I suppose that this word was therefore not chosen at random and in fact, is found associated with morbid energies instead of energies of life and healing, as often.

Many also perished by fire, as we know. There too the symbolism of fire has been reversed.

Let us therefore also honor the Sacred Feminine which was conveyed thanks to them and in these festivals.

"Treasures of wisdom have been deposited in each festival whose symbolism is universal. The astronomer Druids: (the "Sireulacoi") have only made a particular adaptation to the Keltic culture. They also had other secondary festivals. This being said, we draw up a non-exhaustive list of the Gallic festivals. After a period where we saw these festivals become only a pretext to have fun and no longer serve only to organize banquets.

After this period where we had totally lost the sense of the sacred, we now need to practice again. The entry into the Age of Aquarius is undoubtedly something to do with it. Malraux said that the 21st century will be spiritual or will not be. Undoubtedly also this explains the growing interest in everything that is authentic Druidism.

Four of these festivals are linked to the march of the Sun.

These are obviously the solstices and equinoxes.

In all eras there was a cult of the sun. This cult has always been present during the rise of civilizations and disappeared from the concerns of men during periods of decadence. This undoubtedly always happens when the material takes precedence over the spiritual and strongly eclipses it. And yet, at the solstices and equinoxes, nature awakens to new forces which it invites us to receive through it.

Our roots are first nature. Currently we are trying to find it again, to re-establish a link with it. We seek to communicate, to commune with it.

Our roots are also our traditions and the festivals that punctuate the course of the year. These festivals, whatever the religions and ethnic groups around the world, are always ordered around the solstices and equinoxes.

There are two great annual cycles which each start at an equinox, with the culmination at the solstice.

The two dark and light halves, opposed and complementary, refer to the Sacred Feminine and Sacred Masculine, and in fact, a feminine deity in the middle of winter, and a masculine one, in the middle of summer, each opened a sub-season and presided over the whole of their half-year.

The sun influences the life of nature and of men. The closer it is, the more material life is amplified and the further away it is, the more spiritual life takes on importance.

The spring equinox therefore opens the material cycle, the energies work for the regeneration of matter, the sap rises, the animals mate,...

The culmination at the summer solstice. It is customary to light fires so that the deities, currently many say the entities capture the message or desire of each participant and realize it or not according to the qualities of the requester.

The spiritual cycle is opened with the autumn equinox. The energies vibrate essentially to help us on the path of consciousness and inner evolution.

The culmination of this cycle being at the winter solstice.

The four other festivals are established according to the Moon.

Like the tribes of America, the Celts counted in moons.

The Druids ("druvidoi") had a calendar based on the phases of the moon, also adjusted to the sun. You will find in many works that the latter were celebrated on the first of the month. For example: Samain on November 1. We still find today this correspondence with the day of the dead which is also celebrated at the beginning of November.

For the Celts the night (noss/nous, noz in Brezhoneg which also gave "anuis" with the Celtic prefix "an" which changes the meaning (today)) precedes the day (dia, dious in Gaulish. And therefore each "day" begins when the sun sets.

Only the months began with their light part (called "divertomu" supreme clarity), at the full moon and went from full moon to full moon. The waning moon therefore precedes the waxing one.

The calendar cycles were fractionated into halves of lunar months, periods of 12 to 14 days. For each second half of the month, we add after the name of the month: for example "samonios-atenoux".

As can be seen in the "Calendar said of Coligny", one of the only ones found, dated -36 before our era, which also took up Roman references. Previously, the Druids did not keep this data in writing.

The "centuries" ("setlon ou saitlon") were 6 "lustres" ("quimon ou cuincuimon") of 5 years (year = "blindnis") with each lustre composed of 62 lunar months.

The year begins with the emptiness "coviocanton", the Celtic time begins with the Non-Time "anamser", period between "vegilia samoni" and the winter solstice: "alba artuana".

The festival of Samain therefore took place at the full moon of October or November which coincided with the beginning of the month of Samonios.

In 2025, therefore November 5.

The Druidic era apparently began in -2373 and therefore we are in 4399 according to this calendar.

The development of agriculture gave capital importance to the moon. It influences crops. Popular wisdom reports that the waxing moon is favorable to everything that is on the earth, the plants that must bear fruit.

The waning moon is beneficial for everything that is underground, to make plants vegetate or favor roots.

The moon grows from the new moon to the full moon and wanes in the other half of the cycle which lasts on average 29 days, 12 hours and 44 minutes.

We also know that the moon governs water and humans are composed at the molecular level of 96 to 97% water molecules.

1°) SAMAIN in Irish Gaelic or SAMHAIN. SAMONIOS in Gaulish (Full Moon of November). Samhuinn in Scottish Gaelic.

From "Sam" or "Samb in Kymris": summer from proto-Celtic "samo". and "Fuin" or "fain": which marks the "end".

Samain opened the "black time". It is the last festival of the year or more exactly the first of the following year. At Samain time no longer exists. In fact, Samain belongs neither to the year that ends, nor to the new year.

It is a fundamental festival.

As such it is the almost obligatory date of all known mythical events. It is at Samain that the staff of the Tuatha De Danaan meets to prepare the fight against the Fomoire in the Irish stories.

It is also on this date that Cuchulainn, the Irish mythological hero fell ill.

This festival delivers several messages. Samain is above all a festival of obligation.

The Phosphenia site specifies that "Samonios", the first fortnight of the equivalent of the current month of November, means "relative to the end of summer".

And that the Druidic century, Gaulish Sekle: “cycle” lasted 30 years, and began when Nictouros: “Saturn” (with senestrogyre revolution like Venus), is in conjunction with the Pleiades, and enters the sign of Tor/Tarvos: “bull”, during the night of Samain.

On this occasion a "Teine eigin" was made: a “forced fire”, (name still present in "gaidhlig", Scottish Gaelic) produced by friction of 2 woods, a stick (male sign of the Dagda) hard on a soft board (female sign of the Morrigan), the meaning is also sexual, but also spiritual, like the symbols of the Lingam and Yoni in Hinduism.

While at certain equinoxes and solstices, it is the solar light that comes to "fertilize" certain sanctuaries and megalithic sites aligned on the solar rising. At the time of Samonios, the fire is considered as the child, born from the fertilization of the sacred feminine by the sacred masculine.

They also spoke of the "Teine (fire) Tlachdga" (the fire of the “Temple of the Dagda of the "good God" symbol of fertility, abundance, strength and wisdom (from "Dag", good and "Da" God from proto-Celtic "Dewos").

Teine means "fire", like "tan" in Welsh, Breton and Cornish.

In Sweden, in the canton of Værend, the "Gnideld": “friction fire”, existed until the end of the 18th century."

"The festivities lasted three days:

The vigil of the first of the year was called: "vegilia samoni or veilia samoni".

The first day was devoted to the memory of heroes. It was a military festival.

The end of the spring and summer war campaigns was ratified. It was also the festival of the Chief. The word festival can be taken, here, both in the proper and figurative sense.

Samain being the hinge period between two years, this hinge position predisposed it to be the period of assessments. Sanctions could therefore be taken against a chief who had behaved badly, had waged an unjust war or had broken a taboo.

The church made it the festival of the Saints, are they not become our new heroes?

The second day was devoted to that of the deceased, or rather to the Non World (the "Sid"). It is the unique moment when humans can communicate with the people of the Sid.

During this festival, it was, and still is possible, thanks to the awakening of Druidism, to enter into communication with this Non-World. It is therefore possible to pass from one world to the other: The living to the world of the dead and the dead to the world of the living.

During these days, the deceased therefore have the possibility to visit us. In practically all the current regions of France, it was a custom still very widespread at the beginning of this century. It consisted of setting a table for the dead. A meal awaited them all night. This cult of the dead still continues today through the festival of Halloween unfortunately become a festive and commercial fair in which the dead serve as an excuse!

For our ancestors the relationship with death was different.

They did not fear it. They were so convinced of returning in another life that they willingly lent each other money repayable in the other life. This day became, in the Christian rite a dark and only mortuary festival.

The third day was suppressed by the church. Initially this day was devoted to popular rejoicings.

The structure of Celtic society was based on the triad: Druid, Chief, People.

With Christianity the first two classes subordinated the third.

This undoubtedly explains the suppression.

The writings, dating from the Middle Ages, only relate the royal and military banquets. But everything leads us to think, especially since among the Celts everything began and ended with a banquet, that these banquets took place during all the festivities. The common drinks were beer and mead, more rarely wine. Pork meat and wine were considered as giving access to immortality.

2°) WINTER SOLSTICE:

Druidic name: "ALBA ARTUANA" "summit hard as stone"

Winter was called "giamorotio, or giamos"

The winter solstice is the moment when the earth is furthest from the sun, the moment when the night is the longest. After that the days lengthen.

This festival marks the beginning of the triumph of light over darkness. The Christians, imitating in this the cult of Mithra, chose to have Christ born that night.

The Celts also celebrated the "matronas noxs", the night of the Mother Goddesses, the Matrona, for the longest night of the year. Placed at the new moon closest to the winter solstice. They also celebrated that night, Toutatis-Medros (aspect of Toutatis in the Other world).

The Druids take advantage of the ceremonies of this solstice to honor Mistletoe, symbol of immortality, vigor and physical regeneration. The harvesting of Mistletoe is done with an appropriate ceremonial. The same for all herbs. The moment chosen for this harvest depends on the host tree, the orientation on the tree and also the medicinal use of Mistletoe. This plant is a remedy against many ailments.

Undoubtedly because of all these properties, Mistletoe also has a magical function. Hung at the door of a dwelling or in the main room, it protects the inhabitants.

It is a period that marks a rebirth after a symbolic death.

Nature is stripped and reduced to nudity.

This period helps us to learn humility and recognition towards the gifts received each year.

Man must find in himself the inner light to replace the outer light which is no more. It is the sleep of the Earth, a time of gestation. One must die to be reborn, just like the seed fallen to the ground in autumn and which begins to germinate while decomposing.

It is at this time that the mistletoe flowers while the last leaves fall and all nature takes on the appearance of death. It is harvested and shared among the participants during the solstice ceremony. It expresses the survival of the soul, the continuity of life after the apparent death of nature which follows the fall of the leaves. It is the symbol of the return to the original solar light.

The word "Christmas" moreover seems to come from the Germanic Neue helle which means "New clarity".

We have kept the mistletoe festival, January first: Au gui l'an neuf.

In reality, this formula is a false phonetic interpretation of the Celtic expression: "Egi au el" which means wheat germ by which the Gauls noted that the sown wheat began to germinate and announced the renewal of life. The Catholic Church was not mistaken, by setting the date of Christmas so that the birth of Christ, spiritual birth, gives its fullness to this Celtic festival.

The festival lasted twelve days, each with its specific rejoicings.

The return of light is also symbolized by the "Yule log". oak log that is burned in the fireplace. It is a log that was taken from the fire lit during the summer solstice and which restores to us in this dark period the solar energy that it has stored this fire is associated with conception, incarnation. The Christmas Tree shows us by the persistence of its foliage, the illusion of death in nature. It is a symbol of hope and eternity.

3°) IMBOLC

(Full Moon of February)

The late Christianization of this festival has obscured it more than the others.

Vigils were held. Wool was spun, vegetables and fruits were sorted, traditional stories were told. Its festivity survives today under the name of Candlemas. Like the primrose, all this announced the return of the fine season after the winter storms.

The goddess Brigit or Brigantia, goddess of light and knowledge, transformed into Saint Bridget, had to hinder the establishment of the festival of the Purification of the Virgin Mary.

It is a lustral festival because it imposes a purification ritual to wash away the impurities of winter. We have kept the great spring cleaning.

It is also a fertility festival in that it announces the resurrection of spring and the coming of new generations. It can be said that Imbolc is the festival of women.

"Taste each food in order, that is what must be done at Imbolc; wash the hands, feet, head, that is how I say it."

(cited by Le Roux and Guyonvarc'h in Les Druides, published by OGAM in 1978.)

4°) SPRING EQUINOX

Druidic name "ALBA ELARIS": "cheerful summit".

Spring was called "vesenteino", "vesara ou vesracos" according to the regions.

The spring equinox marks the end of the dark period. The energies of nature suddenly pass from winter lethargy to spring exuberance. At the moment when the day has the same duration as the night it was the end of carnival.

The spring equinox is a celebration of balance, because it is no longer winter and not yet summer. At the spring equinox we celebrate the exaltation of Life, and its mysterious power.

Red-painted eggs were eaten, eggs which were then taken up by Christians to celebrate Easter. In this period, the Greeks celebrated the return of Persephone from Hades (daughter of Demeter).

The egg, laid by the immortal serpent or the celestial bird is a powerful symbol in the emergence of life. The egg is a great symbol. It contains all the potentialities of Life, it is the symbol of Life that self-generates. The egg is the representative symbol of the balance between God and Goddess, Sun and Moon, with its yolk and white. It is one of the representative symbols of this festival. Thus it appears as one of the symbols of the periodic renovation of nature.

It is the festival of the awakening of nature. The sap rises in the trees, the animals mate, men also feel the spring renewal rising in them. A cycle starts. It is oriented towards material realization. The cosmic forces work on the material planes.

Celtic customs want fires to be lit at Dawn to symbolize the renewal of life and the protection of crops. During this day, the Gauls go to the meadows to look for some beautiful clovers.

This plant had a high symbolic value in the Celtic world, because it is said to have inspired the symbol of the triskelion which represented both the three ages of the Goddess, and the physical, mental and spiritual worlds.

Spring is the festival of the resurrection of nature, that is why the Church made it the moment of the resurrection of Christ. Easter is the most important annual festival of the Christian Church which commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Easter festival was fixed by the Council of Nicaea in 325 on the Sunday following the first full moon of spring. As for the Easter egg, it represents the power of life, birth, rebirth and resurrection.

In Slavic countries, the ritual meal consists of starting with products from below the Earth, that is to say roots, radishes etc then come the fruits from above, like vegetables, cucumbers; then the fruits and vegetables from height like those of trees.

It is a festival of Hope, the seed of all Lives ready to be reborn.

Nature is subjected for six months to a geocentric current. The earth therefore dominates, unless the powerful solar rays push us back towards the earth. This current is governed by the words take, accumulate. This current leads us towards materiality.

5°) BELTAINE

(Full Moon of May)

Beltaine, festival of Light is located in the seventh month of the Celtic year.

The Celtic New Year is proclaimed in the month of November during the sacred festival of Samain.

It was the festival of flowers. Tradition has it that one gets up with the sun to pick flowers and green branches.

It was above all the festival of fire. Beltaine means fire of Belen. This fire was beneficial. This festival announced the coming of summer.

The Druids held this symbol uniting the sun and fire. It was their own festival, because they considered themselves Masters of fire.

It was therefore the sacerdotal festival. The main ritual of Beltaine consists of fires lit by the Druids, on the eve of Beltaine, which would tighten the link between men and their gods. These fires were generally located at the summits of hills.

This fire tradition has persisted in the form of the fire of Saint John. These fires were made to "attract" the sun by mimicry effect. During the night, offerings were thrown into the fire to ensure the growth of herds and crops.

Beltaine celebrates the symbolic union of the Mother Goddess and the Stag God, the god Bel of the Celts, Belennos among the Gauls. Christianity saw many saints and saintesses having the stag as totemic animal, survival of Celticism distorted from its roots.

This festival makes the link with the approaching summer. It is the festival of Fire.

The solar radiation and the energy of Fire giving birth to vigor in the loins of beasts as in those of men, fertility rites and festivals were organized.

Beltaine is the festival of the change of life rhythm. From the winter rhythm, one passes to the summer rhythm. The festival of Beltaine is the period of predilection for the rites of passage between the cold and hot periods, between darkness and light, between symbolic psychic death and spiritual rebirth.

It is during this festival that most heroes are conceived and those notably of the Pendragon lineage. A priestess is chosen to represent the goddess, adorned with a hawthorn crown, and a man of noble blood, or druid, to represent the Horned God

It was also, in Ireland, the commemoration of the arrival of the Tuatha De Danaan who, after their landing, burned their ships in sign of joy. They also cut off any possibility of return and thus obliged themselves to succeed. To do this they wrapped themselves in a druidic cloud.

Beltaine thus marks the definitive, irreversible commitment, and thereby, confidence in the future and in destiny.

It is also the festival of the fire lit at Uisnech for the children of Nemed. According to Françoise le Roux and Christian Guyonvarc'h, this festival had to last six years.

6°) SUMMER SOLSTICE

Druidic name: "ALBA SAMI" "summer summit"

Summer was called "samorotio, semorotlio, ou samos".

The summer solstice marks the strength of the powers of the Sun during the longest day of the year.

It is the moment to store the strength of the Sun before the hours of light begin to diminish during the following six months.

The celebration of the 4 solar festivals existed from all antiquity. The summer and winter solstices mark the vertical axis of the world, the two extremes of the course of the sun. The summer solstice is the longest day of the year. At this moment of the year a primordial importance is therefore given to the magical power of Fire.

As always fire is omnipresent with always a place of choice in Celtic ceremonies. It takes 3 general forms:

the Fire of the earth: the fire domesticated by man,

- the Fire of the sky: lightning,

- the Divine Fire: represented by the sun.

It is the triple Illumination of Awen, the superior divine principle, manifested in the three rays of the Tribann which dominates this day.

A great bonfire was even long lit by the king of France, on the square of the Hôtel de ville in Paris.

In France, nowadays, the Fête de la musique has largely eclipsed the festivities of Saint-John. The summer Saint-John festival, traditionally accompanied by great fires, is the festival of John the Baptist, June 24. The Saint-John festival therefore takes up pre-Christian traditions. By thus placing the date of the Saint John festival, the Church undoubtedly wanted, in the 5th century, as for other festivals like Christmas. Saint John the Baptist, son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, a cousin of Mary (he was therefore cousin of Jesus according to the Gospel of Saint Luke), was also the preacher who had announced the coming of Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and had baptized him on the bank of the Jordan River.

Since the advent of Christianity some 2000 years ago it has been estimated that the ancient religions, like paganism are inspired, have become, strangely, controlled or even directed by Satan! But this is surely not a faithful reflection of the ancient religions.

Everywhere in the world and throughout the month of June history has presented a certain number of religious and spiritual days, essentially linked to the summer solstice.

The summer solstice was celebrated by the Slavs, the Celts and the Germans with massive fires an essential aspect of the festival. In the Celtic tradition, the solstice is also the day when magical herbs had to be harvested, in homage to nature. It is therefore the time of gathering medicinal herbs which are at their best power at this moment of the year.

The Aryan influences in Gaul are known to us by survivals and monuments. The persistence of certain practices demonstrates the importance attached to them. One of the most authentic and oldest practices became the festival of the Fires of Saint John.

The Christian Church fulminated, through Bossuet, against the habit of:

"dancing around the fire, playing, feasting, throwing herbs on the fire, picking them before noon fasting, carrying them on oneself, keeping them throughout the year, keeping the embers or coals of the sacred fire."

He would not have denounced them if these things were not done. on his side, Saint Eloi informs us by clamoring

"Do not gather at the solstices; let none of you dance or jump around the fire, nor sing songs, on the day of the festival of saint John. These songs are diabolical."

Saint Eloi brings us back to the origin of the fires of saint john. They were lit on the occasion of the ceremonies of the summer solstice. Fire was a force of nature which had its divinity. Like every force, its heat, its clarity, made it the symbol of physical vigor and intellectual light. Fire was so important that vestals were consecrated only for its maintenance.

When the summer solstice came, all fires were extinguished. The rule was to relight them by the friction of two pieces of wood.

In the 18th century, the fire of Saint John was still lit in this way.

Fire was considered as descending directly from the sun. The latter was represented by a flaming wheel. From there to setting a wheel ablaze and carrying it in procession, there was only one step which was quickly taken, and this practice persisted not very long ago. The fires of saint john are still lit here and there. It even happens that priests go to bless them.

7°) LUGNASAD

(full Moon of August)

In Celtic mythology, Lugnasad is a religious festival whose name means « assembly of Lug », the King-God who represents Sovereignty and the Primordial Man. It was therefore the festival in honor of Lug The church assimilated it to Lucifer and had it forbidden!

Lug appears under three aspects:

- He is first the solar god who fertilizes nature. At this level he is source of life whether on the material, psychological or spiritual plane.

- He is a chthonic god, god of the earth and the underworld, his bird is the raven

- Finally he is the god of arts and techniques, in which he excels

In Ireland, the festival of Lug was held at Teltiu. Page 232 of their book Les Druides, Françoise Le Roux and Guyonvar'h tell us that:

Lugnasad was therefore characterized by:

- fairs and economic exchanges,

- the settlement of political questions,

- marriages, temporary or definitive,

- games and races, of horses and women,

- the hearing of poets and musicians,

- a military truce,

the obligatory participation of all social classes oin d'interdire la fête, le christianisme l'a maintenue en renforçant les tendances pacifiques e bienfaisantes."

For this festival fires were lit at the summits of mountains. It was the festival of the King. Not that of such or such king, chief of any nation. But the festival of the King of the World, the human correspondent of the god Lug.

The whole social structure was celebrated.

It is the festival of the king in his function of redistributor of wealth and equity, under the authority of the druids. On this occasion, the Druids although officiating, had a secondary role. the king, as intermediary between gods and men, took the primordial position by transcending human structures into divine ones. It is a military truce which celebrates peace, friendship, abundance and prosperity of the kingdom. It is obligatory and brings together the three classes (sacerdotal, warrior and artisanal) of Celtic society.

8° AUTUMN EQUINOX-

Druidic Name: "ALBA ELVETIAS " summit of Abundance"

The equinox: the cosmic balance, between darkness and light.

The Celts celebrated at that moment the "dago naissatis", the commemoration of the God Dagos.

The solstices and equinoxes are the times of the year easiest to spot: maximum or minimum day length for the solstices, day length equal to that of the night for the equinoxes. these are the markers of the luminosity cycle.

This festival underlines the end of the productive cycle of nature.

It is the beginning of the sterility of the earth. It is also the last of the Celtic festivals of the year. In its Celtic tradition, this festival relates to agricultural works, the end of harvests, grape harvests, the harvest of the last fruits. It is the time to finish the actions begun.

It is the great solar ritual of the year which ends. It is the day of the partition between day and night.

The autumn equinox is associated with the west, where the day ends but also life for the Celts.

It is a day of thanksgiving and preparation for the penumbra of winter because nature will fall asleep. The three classes give thanks to the gods and goddesses: thanks of the druids, who celebrate victories with the warriors and rejoice in the harvest stored with the producers.

The participants will be gathered in the shade of the great tutelary Celtic oak whose acorns will serve for the food of the cattle which participates in the benefits of the forces set in motion by the uncreated. An oak crown is presented to one of the persons who has done something important.

A Gaelic tradition reports that at the end of the harvests, the last sheaf was fashioned in the form of a doll, called: Cailleac, old woman in Gaelic, the Mother of wheat or the Queen of harvests.

At the end of the celebrations, the doll was handed over, until the next sowing, to the farmer who had the smallest harvest, as a good luck charm.

The autumn equinox represents fullness after summer. The time of harvests, sharing and celebrations comes as a reward. Let us activate this energy in all departments of our life.

It is the time of integration into a new dimension, that of the collective, that of power when one knows where one is going, that of maturity, strength issuing from the knowledge of Self.

During this six-month cycle, cosmic forces favor the withdrawal from materiality in favor of the spiritual. nature itself illustrates this withdrawal. It strips itself. Man takes advantage of it to seek Knowledge, develop his intuition. He prepares for it by meditating on what he has done during the last months and by reflecting on what he will do now.

Nature is subjected for six months to a heliocentric current, therefore solar. The sun moving away from the earth, draws us with it. This current is governed by the words give, serve, unite. This current leads us towards spirituality.

In addition to these eight great festivals, there were others throughout the year. For the Celts, everything was a pretext for rejoicings.

The paradox is that they had more public holidays than we do. We will now draw up a non-exhaustive list of the Gallic festivals:

In February, the Carnival Bonfire which corresponded to our Shrove Tuesday.

- Followed by the festival of the blow-asses where one chased each other with bellows. Christianity ended up accustoming us to hunt only the devil.

- Still in February, the festival of the saved during which a list of single boys was drawn up. Opposite each name was written that of a young girl. Often a marriage followed.

-Early March one cut the tails of oxen, horses, sheep, to keep them in good health.

-In April, the assembly of the lady is perhaps at the origin of our Miss elections.

- The games of the rolled and the cracked consisted of rolling eggs down a slope or knocking them against each other. The one whose egg had broken the shell of the other player's egg was declared the winner.

- In May the planting of cereals was practiced. The boys planted a tree branch in front of a young girl's house. The chosen plant had a meaning.

- During the festival of the Trimazets, the young girls begged from house to house.

- In the first days of the month of August, the rejoicings included the breaking, with the help of a pole and blindfolded, of hanging pots.

-In autumn there was the festival of the Shepherds. During this festival, the shepherds, a flower in their hat, danced the farandole.

- We will finish by mentioning a burlesque festival: the festival of fools. A Pope of fools, a Bishop of fools was elected. Discordant voices were sung. And, as in all Gaulish festivals, fires were lit. This festival is undoubtedly more recent than the previous ones. Undoubtedly a mark of humor from our ancestors."