The ancient Celtic celebration of Samhain, from which All Hallows Eve derives, marked a kind of New Year's holiday. It was considered special because the Celts believed the boundary between this world and the spirit world relaxed, allowing spirits to cross more easily. Superstitious people, terrified by this idea, left out food and treats to mollify the spirits and avoid curses. Samhain was also seen as occurring in no-time, neither in the old year nor the new, where normal laws, order, and customs were suspended for three days of merriment. During this period, people did as they pleased, embracing chaos through revelry, feasting, drinking, taking dares, disguising themselves, and pretending to be something they were not. Our modern Halloween, a tame descendant of this Celtic celebration, continues to grow in popularity as a time when laws, customs, and order briefly cease, allowing participants to indulge in whatever they desire and escape their mundane lives.