Origins of Halloween

Halloween is a holiday celebrated in many countries, usually involving different festivities for children and families.

Scotland is where Halloween originated: from the holiday the Eve of all Hallows. During this holiday, it was said that witches and warlocks walked the streets at night and engaged in wicked practices. It was customary during this holiday to leave an empty chair or a plate of food for these “invisible guests.” The people of Scotland believed that the souls of the dead were set free to roam and that they might come into their houses and eat at their tables. On Halloween, the children of Scotland would dress up and pretend to be evil spirits, which inspired the tradition of trick or treating.

Today, mostly children’s parties celebrate Halloween in Scotland. One of the most popular games is dunking for apples. Another popular game in Scotland is Treacle Scones. In Treacle Scones, participants are invited to bite a scone covered in treacle, a sticky molasses-like substance, hanging from a rope.  Pumpkins are often used for lanterns in Scotland, among many places around the world. In Scotland turnips are also used as lanterns and are called neep lanterns. Trick-or-treating has just recently become a tradition in Scotland and is very popular with younger children; the witch is the most popular costume among children, bringing the celebration full circle.

Have a spooky Halloween everyone!