It used to be that a day began at sundown. It's this reason many religions holy days, holidays and celebrations begin at sundown. The two that most people are familiar with is Halloween - or All Hallows Eve, and Samhain. Sundown on Thursday is the start of the Christian observance of Hallowmas. Hallowmas begins on All Hallows Eve, followed by All Saints Day and All Souls Day. The Celtic celebration of Samhain also begins at sundown on Thursday. Samhain and Hallowmas both are times to honor the dead. While the dead are still a large part of Halloween, for most of us Halloween has become all about costumes, candy, haunted houses, parties, skeletons, trick or treating, witches on brooms, getting scared silly and simply having a good time.