Trick or Treat
Smell my feet
Give me something
Good to eat.
In this day and age, Halloween is about dressing up, pulling pranks and seeing who can fill a pillow case with the most candy but, as with most current day traditions, there is more to the story.
Halloween is most closely linked to the Celtic celebration Samhain (pronounced Sow-in) which translates loosely to “summer’s end.”
October 31st was the last day of the Celtic calendar. This day represented the end of the season and the harvest and, in turn, meant the colder winter weather was on its way. Death in nature also often meant death within the human community, and so Samhain was also a celebration that honoured the dead.
The Celts believed that the dead roamed the streets, and not all spirits were considered good, so they left gifts and treats for them to ensure that the following year would yield abundant crops. This practice is today’s equivalent of trick or treating.
The modern tradition of carving pumpkins comes from the custom of carving turnips to remember the souls held in purgatory. Since turnips weren’t readily available in North America, pumpkins replaced them.
While the Celts were celebrating Samhain, The Romans had 2 separate celebrations in the fall. One (Feralia) that celebrated the dead, and another was a day to honour Pomona the Goddess of fruits and nuts. These holidays were celebrated similarly and included bon fires, parades and costumes (angels, saints and devils) to ward off evil spirits. The apple symbolized Pomona, and is thought to have something to do with the tradition of bobbing for apples.
When Christianity became a strong influence in the Celtic lands, Pope Boniface IV instituted All Saints Day on November 1st. It was the church’s way of replacing Samhain with a church sanctioned holiday. All Saints Day was also called All-Hallows or All-Hallowmas. Since it was the day after Samhain, Samhain became known as All-Hallows Eve, and eventually, Halloween.
European traditions travelled to North America with the immigrants, and in the late 1800’s (when millions of Irish were fleeing the potato famine), the traditions of Samhain or All-Hallows Eve, came too.
By the 1920’s and 30’s, halloween was a part of the new Americas’ traditions. It has become more of a family and community based celebration with parties and trick or treating, but we carry-on the traditions of costume wearing and giving out treats (once known as souling). Perhaps it’s my Irish roots, but Halloween is my favourite holiday of the year. My little goblins and I will be out souling as soon as we light our jack o’lanterns to honour the souls in purgatory. Happy Samhain/All-Hollow’s Eve/Halloween; whatever you choose to celebrate, enjoy!
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