Get ready for a frighteningly good Halloween… It鈥檚 that time of year when the ghosts and ghouls come out to play! And we’ve got loads of great imagery and ideas聽for the perfect spooky Halloween celebration!
All Hallows鈥 Eve, or 鈥楬alloween鈥 as it鈥檚 more commonly known, is just around the corner. Before we聽cover聽some of the most popular聽traditions, we鈥檙e looking past the pumpkins and trick or treaters to find out about the history of Halloween.
Why do we celebrate Halloween?
鈥楬alloween鈥 is a shortened version of 鈥楢ll Hallows鈥 Eve鈥, which marks the start of a 3-day celebration known as Hallowtide. All Hallows鈥 Eve is followed by the western Christian feast of All Hallows or 鈥楢ll Saints鈥, and finishes with 鈥楢ll Souls Day鈥 on 2nd November.
Halloween is observed across the world as 鈥榯he day of the dead鈥, and it鈥檚 a day of remembering and celebrating the lives of those who鈥檝e passed.
5 Halloween traditions from across the globe
Carving and lighting jack-o-lanterns
The tradition began in Ireland, where Turnips were used to create the first 鈥榡ack-o-lanterns鈥 and English children carved large beets. Today, pumpkins are the more popular choice when it comes to carving veg. It鈥檚 a tradition enjoyed by the young and the old alike.
Constructing an altar
Most commonly observed in Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries, many people construct an altar in their homes to honour the dead. They decorate it with flowers, photographs and samples of the favourite foods and drinks of those they鈥檙e remembering.
Trick or treating
This one鈥檚 for the children 鈥 dressing up in scary costumes and walking round your neighbourhood to get as many treats as you can! Children knock on the door and聽ask 鈥渢rick or treat鈥? Though we all know this isn鈥檛 really a question, it鈥檚 just a聽sneaky way of asking your neighbours for sweets!
Apple bobbing
One of several apple-related games played at this time of year – although in a few countries, they add nuts and other fruits to the mix. It’s pretty simple to organise this Halloween game, just put apples into a bowl of water and try to catch as many as you can using just your mouth!
Dressing up in costumes
The Celtic people believed that spirits walked the earth during the transition from the end of harvest into the winter season. To avoid being targeted by evil spirits, they would put on costumes to disguise themselves as ghosts so they’d be left alone.
Feeling brave? Take a look at聽this frightening selection…
