We’ve all been there before.  Dressed up as Superman, a Ghastly Ghoul or a Vampire, as children we’ve trudged our local neighbourhood in search of sweets.  In return for not playing a ‘trick’ on our victims we’ve all enjoyed a feast of ‘treats’.  But how much do we know about Halloween’s roots and traditions?

Roots

Halloween evolved from Celtic Pagan rituals in Ireland and Scotland.  Pagans strongly associated winter with human death.  November 1, indicating the start of 6 months of winter, came to be known as the Day of the Dead.  And on October 31 the Celts celebrated Samhain, the summer’s end of 6 months of sunshine.   As the Pagans survival through the harsh winters relied upon the prophecies of their druids they lit bonfires and reinforced boundaries in search of protection from evil spirits.

This blurring between life and death, a seminal line between this world and the next, gave rise to the occult.  Many believers choose Halloween to attempt to contact the dead.  The Christian Church soon got in on the act.  In the 8th Century November 1 was established as All Souls Day and on October 31st All Hallow’s Eve.  A feast on All Souls Day was held in celebration of those in purgatory, awaiting their fate.  Many Christians now choose to distance themselves from the ancient Pagan traditions and from the modern interpretation of dressing up and trick or treating.

Traditions

Today’s incarnation of Halloween has much to thank Ireland for its observation of traditions such as lighting bonfires, dressing up as creatures of the underworld and later spectacular fireworks displays.  The Irish still to this day take a national day’s holiday on the 31 October with children up and down the land knocking on neighbour’s doors to gather fruit, nuts and sweets.  Families make a barnbrack fruit bread cake, with a piece of rag, a ring and a coin baked inside.  If your slice contains the coin you can expect a prosperous year, the rag financial ruin and the ring a future romance or prolonged happiness.

Populist

IncarnationThe dawn of the 20th Century meant Halloween became heavily commercialised.  Taking the lead from America, Halloween is now big business.  From Masks to Movies you can now purchase a whole array of products to help celebrate Halloween.  These include Scarecrow effigies, Inflatable Pumpkins and Electric Lanterns, not to mention Dracula, Frankenstein and Witches Suits.  In New York City, two million spectators flock for the annual Greenwich Village Halloween parade, the largest of its kind in the world.  Whilst across the States trick or treaters are welcomed with porch lights and Jack O’Lanterns (carved out pumpkins with a candle inside).

Apple Bobbing

A popular game to play at Halloween is Apple Bobbing.  The object is to take an apple out of a bucket of water without using your hands and only your mouth.  Less well known is that traditionally the apple is peeled and the peel dropped back into the water.  If this spelt a letter this would be the start of the name of the bobber’s true love.  Interestingly, the record for the number of apples bobbed in a minute has just been broken in London at a party organised by UK based charity Zimbabwe Rural Schools Development Programme.   Al Graham and Naser Turabi both successfully bobbed 17 apples in a minute!  The previous record was a paltry 8.  See more on Apply Bobbing

Hope everyone has a great Halloween!  (This article was previously publish in European Vibe magazine).