Halloween

Halloween

The tradition of Halloween does not come from the United States as most people think. It has Celtic origins - it was celebrated by Celtic tribes from Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The name of the festival comes from “All Hallows” (“hallowed” = “holy” = “saint”), which was eventually contracted into “Hallow-e’en” or the modern “Halloween.” Halloween was the beginning of winter or Dark Half of the Year. Being “between” seasons it was (and is) considered a very magical time, when the dead walk among the living and the borders between the worlds are blurred. From 31 October to 2 November it was a time of no-time. Celtic society, like all early societies, was highly structured and organised, everyone knew their place. However, during the three magical days the social order was abolished. People did crazy things, men would dress as women and women as men and children would knock on neighbours’ doors for food and treats in a way that we still find today in trick-or-treating. The Druids, Celtic priests made contact with the spirits of the dead. That is why the typical images of Halloween are ghosts, skulls and skeletons.

Jack O'Lantern

The hollowed out pumpkin, popularly associated with Halloween is called Jack O´Lantern and is related to the Irish legend of the Stingy Jack. As the story goes, “Stingy Jack was a miserable, old drunk who liked to play tricks on everyone: family, friends, his mother and even the Devil himself. One day, he tricked the Devil into climbing up an apple tree. Once the Devil climbed up the apple tree, Stingy Jack hurriedly placed crosses around the trunk of the tree. The Devil was then unable to get down the tree. Stingy Jack made the Devil promise him not to take his soul when he died. Once the devil promised not to take his soul, Stingy Jack removed the crosses and let the Devil down. Many years later, when Jack finally died, he went to the pearly gates of Heaven and was told by Saint Peter that he was too mean and too cruel, and had led a miserable and worthless life on earth. He was not allowed to enter heaven. He then went down to Hell and the Devil. The Devil kept his promise and would not allow him to enter Hell. Now Jack was scared and had nowhere to go but to wander about forever in the darkness between heaven and hell. He asked the Devil how he could leave as there was no light. The Devil tossed him an ember from the flames of Hell to help him light his way. Jack placed the ember in a hollowed out turnip, one of his favourite foods which he always carried around with him whenever he could steal one. For that day onward, Stingy Jack roamed the earth without a resting place, lighting his way as he went with his ‘Jack O'Lantern’.”

On all Hallow's eve (Halloween), the Irish hollowed out vegetables like turnips, rutabagas, gourds, potatoes and beets. They placed a light in them to ward off evil spirits and keep Stingy Jack away. These were the original Jack O'Lanterns. In the 1800's a couple of waves of Irish immigrants came to America. The Irish immigrants quickly discovered that pumpkins were bigger and easier to carve out. So they used pumpkins for Jack O'Lanterns.

Have you ever been to a Halloween party?

Have you ever dressed up as a ghost or a different horrific creature?