Trick or treat: the origins of Halloween

On the 31st of October, almost everywhere one looks there are shades of orange and black.  It’s that time of the year when little ghosts and goblins are more than welcome to occupy the streets, when it’s quite usual to visit some haunted places and when it’s fully acceptable to send chills down someone’s spine by sharing a spooky story.  Of course, Halloween is the perfect time to show off your creativity by throwing a costume party.

You should by no means forget to do some trick-or-treating on this special day, too.  But please, don’t be too mischievous if no treat is given to you.

SEE ALSO: Moments in History that Shaped the English we Speak Today

All about the pumpkin

Halloween is also known as All Hallows’ Eve.  This beloved holiday has its roots in the ancient Celtic festivity that celebrated the end of the harvest season.  The ancient Gaels called it Samhain, or summer’s end.  They would symbolically gather around the bonfires, secretly hoping that the fading sun would not die out, yet.

Changing of the seasons, that is, the coming of the dark and cold winter, also reminded them of the transience of human life.  During this period, the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead were blurred.  Most probably, these people believed that the spirits of the recently deceased would on this day cross the gate between two worlds in order to find a new body, or simply to play some tricks on the living.  

To keep those spirits away, they would dance around a great fire wearing costumes.

However, the beginning of the new millennium saw Romans conquering the majority of Celtic territory.  They brought their own holidays to the newly conquered land that highly influenced the way Samhain was celebrated.

During the four centuries of the Roman occupation, it was particularly important for them to pay tribute to the dead, as well as to honor Pomona, the beautiful goddess of fruit and trees.  Eventually, some elements of these festivities were incorporated into the celebration of Samhain.

One of these elements is nowadays a widely popular game called bobbing for apples.  It is said that this amusing activity dates back to the Roman conquest of Britain.  However, what is now a form of entertainment, for the Romans was an important ritual.

Supposedly, the Romans brought the apple tree to the isles.  It was a symbol of fertility, representing the goddess Pomona.  On the other hand, the Celts believed that a pentagram was a symbol of fertility.  Incidentally, when an apple is sliced, the seeds are placed in the shape of a pentagram.  Hence it was easy for both the Celts and the Romans to mingle their traditional beliefs and create a joint custom in the form of bobbing for apples.

The rules are simple: apples are placed in a bucket and left freely floating on water.  The first young man who manages to slice an apple without using his hands is the first one to get married.  It’s as simple as a pie, or, should we say an apple pie?

Of course, the rules have changed since the Roman period and now everyone can play the game regardless of their age or marital status.

With the spread of Christianity, the ancient Celtic festivity mingled with some new traditions.  The Romans had a special day to remember the dead, and so do the Christian believers.  This is done on a day following the Celtic Samhain, namely on the 1st of November.  Hence, the evening just before it, is named All Saints’ Eve or All Hallows’ Eve.

However, as time passed by, customs and traditions regarding the Halloween festivity have changed.  This is no longer a festivity with a solely religious purpose.  Instead, Halloween is seen as a magical day of family reunion, when friends have some genuine fun and when children laugh at their little mischiefs.

Let’s now take a closer look into the origins of Halloween traditions without which the festivity couldn’t be properly enjoyed.

Trick-or-treat

Centuries ago, people would go knocking from door to door asking for food and sometimes money.  They did this not for fun, but because they were in need.  In other words, their poverty turn them into beggars.  To return the favor, they would sing a prayer for the host’s deceased members of the family.

Nowadays, for most hosts this habit is mostly annoying, since they simply don’t know what to expect if they refuse to give children the treats they ask for.

In case you wish to avoid unpleasant situations, we would highly recommend that whenever you hear the infamous “Trick or treat?” you simply say “Treat” and then give the children what they want.

Jack-o-lantern

 
Once upon a time, there was a man known as Stingy Jack.  He had a brilliant idea of calling the Devil out for a drink.  Of course, Jack had no intention of paying for it, so he asked the Devil to turn into a coin so that they could pay for their drinks.  However, Jack kept the coin and placed it next to a silver cross just to make sure that the Devil couldn’t possibly change back to its original form.  This lasted for a year, and then, the Devil made a promise that if Jack released him, he wouldn’t bother him or claim his soul once the day comes.

Surprisingly, the Devil kept his promise, but Jack continued playing tricks on the Devil.  This time, he tricked him into climbing up a tree on which he had previously engraved a cross.  The Devil, of course, had to make another promise so that Jack could live in peace for the next 10 years.

Yet, Jack died soon.  Because of his mischiefs, the God refused to accept him, and because of the promise he had made, the Devil couldn’t accept him as well.  However, he didn’t want to let Jack go unpunished either.  So, he let him roaming around the world at night with only a piece of a burning coal.  This is how Jack became known as Jack of the lantern, or simply Jack O’Lantern.

What about you? Do you have your very own tradition to share? We’d also like to hear a spooky story from you.

Photo credit: Foter / FreeDigitalPhotos