What Is Halloween?

1st November is the Christian celebration of All Hallows’ Day and is the
day when Christians honour the Saints.

The name ‘Halloween’ comes from In the eighth century, the

a Scottish term and means ‘The Eve
of All Hallows’ Day’
on 31st October.
The origins of many Halloween
traditions are believed to be in the
Celtic festival of Samhain
(pronounced 'sow-inn') when people
would wear costumes and light
bonfires to scare off ghosts.
People believed spirits of the dead
came to earth at this time so they
would dress up to frighten the spirits
away.
Church adopted the day on
which Samhain took place
as a day to honour the Saints
(or Hallows). The evening
before came to be known as
All Hallows’ Eve, later
shortened to Halloween.
Find What does the old word
It ‘Hallow’ mean?
 Halloween
in the UK
In Scotland and Northern Ireland, the
tradition of dressing up and visiting
houses is called ‘guising’. Children
perform a poem or song and receive
gifts of fruit and sweets in return.
A hollowed-out turnip
with a face cut in it
worked as a lantern to
scare away evil spirits.
Now, people use
pumpkins, which are
easier to carve.
In the north of England,
people used to carry lit
candles at night. If they
stayed alight, it was a
good sign for the year
ahead. This was known as
‘Lighting the Witches’.
Think
About
It
Why was ‘trick-or-treating’
known as ‘guising’?
 Halloween
in the Republic
of Ireland
Many of the traditions now Families may enjoy a traditional
associated with Halloween are Halloween fruitcake called a
thought to have come from barmbrack. Objects, such as a small
Ireland. Adults and children coin, a ring or a pea are baked into the
dress up as ghosts, witches, cake and it is used as a kind of fortune
zombies and all kinds of telling game.
gruesome figures and go trick-
or-treating. Houses are In Dublin, a sightseeing
decorated tour called the Dublin
with jack-o’- Ghostbus runs on
lanterns, Halloween night. The tour
broomsticks visits the creepiest places in
and other Dublin, including the
Halloween medieval crypt at Dublin
decorations. Castle.
 Halloween in
North America
The tradition of ‘guising’ was taken to Guising is known as trick-or-
North America by Irish and Scottish treating and in many homes in
immigrants. Halloween was a time to North America, a lot of effort is
celebrate the harvest. People would made with Halloween decorations.
throw parties, dress up in costumes and The New York Halloween parade
tell each other’s fortunes. began in the 1970s and showcases
amazing costumes, music and
dances.
Pumpkins, which
grew well in the
USA, were used for
lanterns and
pumpkin pie is a Do Design your own Jack
traditional treat at It o’Lantern.
this time of year.
 Halloween
in Europe
In Poland and the Czech Republic, 1st
and 2nd November are public holidays
and people travel to visit the graves
of deceased family members. They
talk about these people and remember
their lives by lighting thousands of
candles in cemeteries.

The cemeteries are spectacular at this

time of year so people visit late into
the evening.
 Halloween
in Europe
In Romania, Halloween is celebrated
at the end of November to coincide
with St Andrew’s Day. Particularly
spooky parties take place in
Transylvania where Dracula is said to
come from!
 Halloween
in China
Halloween isn’t celebrated in China
in October like in Western countries.
However, there are similar festivals.
People may also make special
paper boats which are later burnt
to release the spirits of people
who died but weren’t buried (for
example after an accident or
drowning) to heaven. These
spirits are thought to be
dangerous if not released in this
way.

The festival of Teng Chieh in

China commemorates the dead.
People place food and water by
photos of deceased family
members and lanterns light the
way for the spirits travelling the
earth.