Halloween

What are the origins of Halloween?

Knee to knee with a partner:

What do you know about Halloween?

Where does the idea of Halloween come from?

What are the origins of Halloween?

• Did you know that our ancestors celebrated New Year’s Day on 1st November?

• October 31st wasn’t known as Halloween back then, it was New Year’s Eve!

• October 31st marked the end of the summer, warmth and plenty of food and the start of dark, cold difficult times.

What are the origins of Halloween?

• Like many of our ancestors, the Celts feared the dark and even saw bad weather, food shortages and daily struggles as the work of bad spirits.

• On October 31st (the night before their New Year and hard winter started) they lit and danced around bonfires to frighten bad spirits away.

What are the origins of Halloween?

• “Hallow” is an old English word that means “Saint” (someone who is so good during their life that, when they die, the church declare them to be a saint. This still happens even today!)

• Think about “The Lord’s Prayer”: “Our Father, who ‘art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name.”

What are the origins of Halloween?

• In 853 the Catholic church made 1st November a feast day to celebrate all the saints.

• It was known as “All Hallows’ Day”.

• So the evening before All Hallows’ Day became known as “All Hallows’ Eve”, and over time this has become “Halloween”.

Old English Halloween Customs

• In Lancashire “Lating” or “Lighting the Witches” was an important custom.

• People would carry candles for one hour, from eleven o’clock until midnight. If the candles burned steadily you would have good luck.

• If the candle went out they said a witch had blown it out and you would have bad luck.

• Why do you think the candles really went out?

Old English Halloween Customs

• In the north of England Halloween was also known as “Nut Crack Night”.

• People put nuts on the fire at home and watched to see how the flames moved.

• They believed that the flames could show whether your sweetheart would be true to you, or not.

• Do you think you can really tell the future like this?

Old English Halloween Customs

• Some families used All Hallows’ Eve as a chance to remember loved ones who had died.

• They would put candles in the window to guide them home and even set an extra place at the table for them.

• Why do you think people did this?

So where do we get “Trick or Treat”

from?

What are the origins of Trick or Treat?

• About 500 years ago it was customary for poor Christians to offer to pray for other people’s dead loved ones in return for money or food.

• They believed that the more prayers that were said, the faster the person would get to Heaven.

• Often they were given “Soul Cakes”. These were like hot cross buns without the currants or cross on top.

What are the origins of Trick or Treat?

• About 200 years ago it became traditional for groups of children to go “Souling”.

• They would knock on doors and offer to pray for the dead in return for a soul cake or other sweet treat.

What are the origins of Trick or Treat?

• Almost like carol singing, they children would sing:

A soul, a soul, a soul cake.Please, good missus, a soul cake.An apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry.Anything good to make us merry.

Up with your kettles and down with your pans,Give us an answer an we’ll be gone.

One for Saint Peter, two for Saint Paul,And three for the man who made us all.

What are the origins of Trick or Treat?

Though people no longer give soul cakes or go door-to-door offering to pray for the dead, can you see how this tradition has evolved to become “Trick or Treat”?

What are the origins of Trick or Treat?

• Nowadays Halloween seems to get bigger and bigger each year.

• Though many customs actually started in England, the way in which people celebrate Halloween today often copies what goes on in America.

If you plan to go “Trick or Treating” this year just remember…

You should always have an adult with you. You wouldn’t normally walk around in the dark on your own, would you?

You should only visit the homes of people you know.

If someone chooses not to give you a treat, you should simply leave them alone. If you “Trick” them you could end up in trouble with the police!