Are you sitting comfortably because it’s time for a tale of evil spirits, Celtic customs, scary costumes and....apples?!

Halloween is celebrated on October 31st by dressing up in scary masks and costumes, going to Halloween parties or playing trick or treat on our neighbours. Other traditions include apple bobbing, making lanterns out of pumpkins and telling ghost stories.

Celtic people, who lived in Britain, Ireland and northern France more than 2000 years ago, feared the evening of October 31st. It was the eve (the day before) of the festival of Samhain. It marked the death of the old year and the beginning of a new one. As the old year died the Celts believed evil spirits came back to haunt the earth.

By 43AD, the Romans had conquered the Celts. Two Roman festivals were combined with the festival of Samhain. One of these festivals honoured Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees, and this is how apples probably became associated with Halloween. In those days, the game of apple bobbing was played to see who would be the next to marry. Today we play it for fun!

By 800AD the Pope had made November 1st into All Saints’ Day, also called All-Hallows or All-Hallowmas, and the night before it (the night of Samhain) was called All-Hallows Eve. This later became known as Halloween and that’s what we call it today.

The pumpkin lantern is called a Jack O’ Lantern. It is an Irish tradition. The legend says that a nasty man, called Jack, tricked the devil into climbing an apple tree. Jack placed crosses at the bottom of the tree so the devil couldn’t get down. Jack would only let him down when the devil promised not to take his soul.

Years later when Jack died he wasn’t allowed into Heaven and the devil (keeping his promise) wouldn’t let him into Hell either, so Jack was left in a dark place. The devil threw him a burning coal. Jack put it inside a hollowed turnip and he haunted the earth with his lantern.

So, on All Hallows Eve the Irish hollowed out turnips and put candles inside to frighten away Jack and other evil spirits.

In the 1800s people started to use pumpkins and this became the tradition.

The tradition of dressing up on Halloween began with the festival of Samhain. People believed that, if they wore hideous masks, this would frighten away evil spirits, or the spirits would mistake them for a fellow spirit and leave them alone. People would often wear the masks if they ventured out into the dark night.

The tradition of trick or treating probably dates back to times when November 2nd was called All Souls’ Day. This was a day when people celebrated the dead.

In parts of England, during the festivities, poor people would visit houses – singing and begging for food in return for a prayer for the family’s dead relatives. The practice was known as ‘going a-souling’ and it was eventually taken up by children who would visit houses asking for food and money.

Trick or treating can be dangerous, as you often knock on strangers’ doors, so you will need to ask a responsible adult to supervise.

Halloween can be great fun so just make sure you stay safe!