The History of Halloween.

The History of Halloween

Halloween is an ancient festival, which has its roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain (Sah-ween), this was when the Celts (the ancient inhabitants of Great Britain) celebrated their New Year and the day they believed that the souls of those who had died that year progressed to the underworld. It was said to be a night when ghosts, demons and witches roamed the earth and people tried to placate them with offerings of nuts and berries. 

Nowadays these offerings are more likely to be the Mars Bars and Snickers (formerly Marathons) given out to children trick or treating, but it remains a day when we can acknowledge our fears and celebrate forces we do not understand. Today in the UK it is celebrated on All Hallows Eve, the night of October 31, the last night of October which was originally the eve of Samhain.

Trick or Treat

Many of today's Halloween traditions are associated with America, however they originated in Celtic history. For example the custom of 'trick or treat' originated in England as ‘Mischief Night' when children declared one ‘lawless night' of unpunished pranks (usually May Day eve or Halloween). In the late 19thC, the Irish belief that 'the little people' or fairies played pranks on Halloween, led boys and young men to carry out practical jokes on that night, Nowadays children dress up in costumes and go from door to door where they knock on the door, or ring the doorbell, and yell 'Trick or treat!'. The idea being that the owners of the house give the children a treat (sweets or money) or the children will play a trick on them - I believe that in legal terminology this is called extortion!