Halloween Traditions

Halloween (or Hallowe’en) is on 31st October.

There are lots of Halloween traditions:

•Scary costumes
•Jack-o’-lanterns
•Trick-or-treating
•Apple bobbing
•Telling ghost stories

Not everyone agrees that Halloween should be celebrated. Some religious people
think that it celebrates evil spirits and witchcraft.
 The History of Halloween
Halloween first began as the festival of Samhain. This was part of the ancient
Celtic religion in Britain and other parts of Europe.

The Celts thought that the barrier between our world and the world of ghosts and
spirits got really thin at the end of summer which meant strange creatures with
spooky powers could wander around the Earth.

The Celts had a huge party to scare away the ghosts and spirits.

Later, the day became known as ‘All Hallows’ Eve’

by Christians as it fell the day before All Saint’s
Day on 1st November. This was later shortened to
Hallowe’en or Halloween.
 Scary Costumes
Scary Halloween costumes are worn on or around Halloween.

Halloween costumes date back to 1585! People in Scotland

wore costumes in the festival of Samhain. The costumes
were thought to frighten away supernatural or evil beings.

By the 1930s, costumes were based

on characters in the media like they
are today.

Halloween costumes are traditionally

worn by children but are now worn
by lots of adults too.
 Jack-o-lanterns
Carved pumpkins are called Jack-o-lanterns.

They are kept outside homes on the night of Halloween

as they are supposed to scare away evil spirits.

Jack-o-lanterns were originally

carved out of turnips in Ireland.
Later, lots of Irish people went
to live in America. They wanted
to make lanterns but couldn’t
find enough turnips so carved
pumpkins instead.
 Trick or Treating
Trick or treating is also known as ‘guising’.

Children dress up in costumes and travel from house to house asking “trick or
treat” for treats such as chocolate, sweets or money. Some houses are covered with
decorations to make the experience really exciting.

The tradition of going from door

to door already existed in the UK
and Ireland in the form of
‘souling’ where children and
poor people would sing and say
prayers for the dead in return
for cakes.

The question “trick or treat?”

originated in America.
 Apple Bobbing
‘Apple bobbing’ is a game often played on Halloween. The game is played by
filling a large container with water and putting apples in the water. Because apples
are less dense than water, they float on the surface.
Players then try to catch an apple using only their teeth. Using their hands to help
them is cheating.

Other names for apple bobbing

are ‘dooking’, ‘apple ducking’
and ‘duck-apple’.

‘Snap apple’ is similar to

bobbing except the apples
are hung from the ceiling
by strings.
 Halloween Quiz
1. When is Halloween?

2. Which festival did Halloween originate from?

3. Why were Halloween costumes originally worn?

4. Jack-o-lanterns were originally made from .

5. Trick-or-treating is also known as .

6. What are some other names for apple bobbing?

The End