halloween origin?

Question

if halloween is a pagan day, why is it so close to the day of the dead??? is there any relationship between them?

Answer 1

Read this article I wrote last year about Halloween's origins:
http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?menu=c10400&no=255855&rel_no=1

It was the Celtic New Years.

Day of the Dead is a Catholic holiday mixed with pagan Meso-American beleifs. Day of the Dead is All Souls Day when Mexicans remember their dead loved ones, clean tombstones, etc... It's right after All Saints' Day.

The Celtic tradition of So-wen is similar in that it was also a time of reflection and rememberance of passed loved ones.