The Night the Veil Grows Thin
Why do millions of adults still dress up as vampires and witches every 31st October? The answer is more than 2,000 years old.
It all began with a bonfire
For the ancient Celts, the year ended on 31st October with a festival called Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The harvest was over and the dark half of the year was beginning. People believed that on this night the spirits of the dead could come back and wander the earth. To protect themselves, they lit huge bonfires and wore a disguise so the spirits would not recognise them.
A Christian makeover
Later, the Church made 1st November All Hallows’ Day, so the night before became All Hallows’ Eve: Halloween. Some old customs survived. In medieval Britain, poor people went from house to house asking for “soul cakes”. This is the grandparent of modern trick-or-treating.
From turnips to pumpkins
Irish families used to carve scary faces into turnips to frighten wandering souls away. When Irish emigrants arrived in North America in the 1840s, they discovered the pumpkin: bigger, softer and much easier to carve.
Closer to home: Samaín
Galicia shares Celtic roots with Ireland, and the old festival of Samaín is back. People carve calacús and prepare a queimada while someone reads the conxuro, a spell against evil spirits.
Three things you probably didn’t know
There is a word for the fear of Halloween
There is a word for the fear of Halloween: samhainophobia. Try saying it three times quickly.
Black cats were not always bad luck.
Black cats were not always bad luck. In medieval Europe they became linked to witches, which is why they are still a Halloween symbol. In parts of Britain, a black cat crossing your path is actually considered good luck.
Bobbing for apples was once a love game.
Bobbing for apples was once a love game. In Britain and Ireland, it was said that the first person to catch an apple with their teeth would be the next to marry.
Halloween has lingered for centuries because laughing at what scares us is one of the oldest ways of dealing with fear. Our ancestors lit fires; we light pumpkins and watch horror films. Not so different after all.
Light the Lanterns
Tap a word, then tap its meaning. Every correct match lights a lantern. Can you light all eight?
Word
Meaning
Choose a word to begin.
Your turn
Tell us in the comments if you celebrate halloween and how?
