Halloween, All Hallows Eve, Pumpkins and Candy

Times have changed. Once the Roman feast of Pomona, then the Celtic festival of Samhain, Halloween was originally a day to celebrate the end of summer. Later, the Irish and Welsh thought it was a great day to attempt supernatural encounters. However, historians do not believe religious pagan ceremonies were celebrated in the first centuries of the tradition. The word "halloween" came about to describe the day before "All-Hallows-Even (evening)."

Pumpkins
The people of Scotland and Ireland began the carving tradition with turnips. The candles in the turnips served as a way for individuals to remember the souls that were held in purgatory. The early American settlers changed the custom of carving turnips to pumpkins because they are larger, simple to grow and easier to carve.

Costumes
People started wearing costumes during the Middle Ages for the practice of souling. Souling would occur on the day of Hallowmas (November 1). On this day, poor individuals would dress up and go door to door to beg for money and food. In return, the recipients would offer prayers for the dead on All Soul's Day, which is November 2.

Unholy Rituals

Pagan rituals and encounters with the supernatural were not the intentions of the original Halloween celebrants. People did not start telling ghost stories and playing divination games until the 1900s. Often, other religious celebrations simply occurred on the same day or around the end of October.

Candy
My favorite thing about Halloween is the excuse to buy large amounts of chocolate without feeling guilty. I never get trick-or-treaters, so the chocolate is all for me. Back in the day, the "guisers" would beg for cake and money. The Irish continue to bake barmbrack, a fruitcake that contains different charms for the visitors. The charm you receive in your piece of cake is an indication of your future. For example, if you get a coin, you will become wealthy during the year. If you received a ring, you would find your true love. I find caramel in my chocolate and that is good enough for me. 


Halloween Greeting Card: Reproduced in Bill Ellis, Lucifer Ascending: The Occult in Folklore and Popular Culture (University of Kentucky, 2004). ISBN 0-8131-2289-9