Which ancient festival has roots in a pagan festival marking the start of winter?

• A. Lent
• B. Hogmanay
• C. Halloween
• D. Easter

Answer: (C)

Festivals tied to seasonal change often originate in ancient pagan traditions. Halloween embodies this because it has roots in Samhain, the Gaelic festival that marked the start of winter and the boundary between the living and the dead. Over centuries it absorbed Christian elements as All Hallows’ Eve, but its origins lie in that pre-Christian winter festival. Lent and Easter are Christian observances tied to religious events rather than the seasonal turning point, while Hogmanay is a winter New Year celebration with various folk influences, not the ancient start-of-winter festival in the same way Halloween is.