Samhain were also a big part of the festival and often involved nuts and apples. In the late 19th century, Sir John Rhys and Sir James Frazer suggested that it was the "Celtic New Year", and this view has been repeated by some other scholars. In the 9th century AD, the Western Christian church shifted the date of All Saints' Day to 1 November, while 2 November later became All Souls' Day. Over time, Samhain and All Saints'/All Souls' merged to create the modern Halloween. Historians have used the name 'Samhain' to refer to Gaelic 'Halloween' customs up until the 19th
Samhain "ziema", Lithuanian "žiema", Slavic "zima", Greek "kheimon", Hittite "gimmanza"), cf. Old Irish "gem-adaig" ('winter's night'). "Samonios" may represent the beginning of the summer season and "Giamonios" (the seventh month) the beginning of the winter season. The lunations marking the middle of each half-year may also have been marked by festivals. "Samain" or "Samuin" was the name of the "feis" or festival marking the beginning of winter in Gaelic Ireland. It is attested in some of the earliest Old Irish literature, from the 10th century onward. It was one of four Gaelic seasonal festivals: Samhain (~1 November), Imbolc (~1 February), Bealtaine