We don't know whether or not the Anglo-Saxon Hwicce—the original Tribe of Witches—celebrated Samhain.

If they did, we don't know what they called it.

It's generally acknowledged by historians that, both demographically and culturally, the Hwicce emerged from a Keltic-Germanic meld. If so, and if they kept Samhain, they may well have called it something like Samonios.

Among their latter-day descendants, the November quarter-day generally goes by one of two names: Keltic Samhain and Germanic Hallows.

Samhain (however you choose to pronounce it) is an Irish name for an Irish festival. The word's original meaning is not entirely clear; likely it derives from samh, “summer.” Folk etymology would read it as “summer ends” or “summers' end.”

It's a good name, an ancient name, but it is and will always be an import.

The native name, Hallows, means “holies.” It's a modern usage, short for All Hallows' Eve/Mass/Day. As such, it clearly references the Christian festival of All Saints', “hallow” (Old English hálig) having been the original word for “saint” (lit. “holy [person]”).

So, two imports: one Irish, one Christian, and neither (at least to me, neither Irish nor Christian) entirely satisfactory.

Well, purism is its own punishment, and in a polytheist environment it's understood that Manyness is an intrinsic good.

So let me suggest a Third Way, a name both new and old, in the time-honored tradition of the loan-translation.

Summersend.

Thus would I English “Samhain,” with its 2000 (and, if Italian anthropologist Augusto S. Cacopardo is correct, 6000) year history.

Wishing you and yours a Summersend of Joy and a New Year of Prosperity.

Happy Summersend!