The Story of

Halloween

History

Halloween is one of the oldest festivals, people celebrated it thousands years ago. It has
influences from Roman festivals, Celtic festival of Samhain and of course Christian All Saints
Day and All Souls Day. Hundreds of years ago there lived the Celts on British Isles. They had
many gods connected with nature and the sun was their favourite god. They celebrated New
Year on November 1st , because it was the end of “the season of the sun” and beginning of
“the season of darkness and cold”. They also believed that on that day all dead people came
back in different forms – as ghosts or animals – for example cats. Celtic priests – the Druids –
met on hills, made bonfires, danced around them and offered sacrifices – crops or animals.
When later Christians came, they didn’t like the Celtic customs and the Pope decided on their
Christian festival – All Saints Day on November 1st, and later people wanted to remember
their dead relatives and so All Souls Day was celebrated on November 2nd. But Halloween is
still here, probably because people want to have fun on the dark, cold days.

Trick or Treat

The custom of “trick or treating” started in Britain together with celebration of All Souls
Day. Poor people begged for food and housewives gave them “soulcakes” and the poor people
promised to say a prayer for the dead. Over time the custom changed and children started to
ask for treats. First they got fruit, cakes or money, but now they get sweets or chocolate.
Those people who don’t give them anything can have some problems. Children make “tricks”
-whitewash their windows or put toilet paper in the trees in the garden. Trick or treating is
more common in the USA than in Britain and we can also see masks and costumes in
America, even adults wear them and prepare them well one month before Halloween.

Pumpkin Patch

The Celts carried torches or lanterns to show the dead the way out of the cemeteries. The
lanterns were later carved out of turnips and people believed that evil spirits would go away if
they saw them. Children carved faces in the turnips and called them “jack-o-lantern.” There is
a legend about a mean man, named Jack, who died and couldn’t go to heaven. So he went to
hell, where he met the Devil. The Devil didn’t want him there either and gave him a piece of
burning coal and sent him away. Jack put the coal in a turnip and used it as a lantern. Jack is
still walking and looking for a place to stay, the legend says. Now children not only in UK
and Britain, but also Germany or Holland make jack-o-lanterns and put them in their
windows. Sometimes they don’t know anything about the tradition but are just happy that they
have a “horrible head”.

Answer these question on the text.

1. What was the favourite god of the old Celts?
2. Who were the druids?
3. Why is Halloween still here?
4. What did poor people beg for?
5. What did they promise to do?
6. What tricks do children do now?
7. Where do people celebrate Halloween more – in the UK or the USA?
8. What did the Celts use lanterns made of turnips for?
9. Why couldn`t Jack go to heaven or hell?
10. What other countries celebrate Halloween?