Old Halloween

Around the world people celebrate Halloween each year with their own themes and traditions, whether it is something that has run through the family or embraced by an entire nation we all do it. Old Halloween traditions have been adapted throughout the years to become a more modern part of today’s celebrations, for example the commercialisation of Halloween in America has lead to a different meaning for trick or treating. Now kids go trick or treating to get sweets and money but the tradition it derived from although similar, had a more meaningful reason. The poor used to go knocking on people’s doors and offer prayers for the dead in exchange for coins or food to eat. As Halloween has changed through the years I have decided to delve into the traditions of Halloweens past.

Halloween Origins

Trick or Treaters

Halloween originated in Europe and has descended from a number of different celebrations and activities with both religious and moral backgrounds. Halloween is considered to be the day of the year when the worlds of the living and the dead are at their closest and was believed to be one of the most magical nights of the year. Once a special and honoured day these traditions have vast become something of the past. In the Celtic calendar October 31st represented the beginning of the dark half of the year and the day when spirits of the dead would come back to the living world and celebrate with their families. In Ireland during this time you would find burial mounds lined with torches so the spirits could find their way back. Some also believed that while the good spirits would come, evil ones would too so people dressed in scary costumes and masks in an attempt to ward off the evil spirits.

Jack-O-Lanterns and Trick or Treating

Pumpkins

Probably the two most common associates of todays Halloween celebrations are the carving of a pumpkin (jack-o-lantern) and kids participating in a bit of trick or treating. Trick or treating descends from the custom of souling that traditionally took place the night before all saints day. The custom of souling was popular in the Middle Ages around Britain, where poor people would go door to door offering prayers in return for food. The carving of a pumpkin stems from the souling custom of carving turnips into lanterns. This process was regularly done as a way or remembering the souls held in purgatory and again originated within Ireland and Scotland. The pumpkin only started to be used when people immigrated to America where pumpkins were more easily available and their size also made them easier to carve. Pumpkins have now become an essential part of any Halloween in both America and Europe where you will frequently see them on doorsteps and in windows around Halloween.