HALLOWEEN

1. HALLOWEEN • Origin of Halloween. • The original vegetable used and why. • The reason why costumes are used. • The origin of the tradition “trick-or-treat”. • What is a Jack-o-Lantern. • Typical food for Halloween. By Isabel Serna Martos 4ºB

2. ORIGIN OF HALLOWEEN Halloween is an old tradition in Ireland and Scotland. The holiday originally comes from a people called the Celts.The Celts lived in Europe more than 2000 years ago. On October 31st they celebrated the end of summer. This night marked the begining of the pagan Celtic New Year and the official beginning of the dark half of the year, called "Samhain". The druids would offer sacrifices on this night. Celts thought ghosts visited the living on October 31st. Today, many countries still remember the dead on November 1st. It is called All Saints Day. Another name for it is All Hallow’s Day. The day before, October 31st, is called All Hallow’s Eve, or Halloween for short.

3. The original vegetable used and why. In Ireland and Scotland to feel safe, people began to put lanterns in their windows and in front of their doors to scare away spirits. They made lanterns out of carved turnips and other vegetables. They also used turnips or gourds with candles inside to help light the way of the spirits back to where they came from. When people moved from Ireland and Scotland to the United States, they started using pumpkins.

4. The reason why costumes are used. Centuries ago, people believed in spirits, both good and evil. They believed that spirits sometimes helped and hurt people. Celts thought that November 1st was a day for good spirits and souls and the night before was the time for bad spirits to roam free. They dressed up in elaborate animal skins and heads to disguise themselves as spirits and demons so that the real ones couldn't distinguish them as being human and the spirits would not harm them.

5. The origin of the tradition “trick-or-treat”. Celts also had a tradition of giving food to the spirits. Later,they gave the food to poor people. Poor people would visit the houses of wealthier families and receive pastries called soul cakes in exchange for a promise to pray for the souls of the homeowners’ dead relatives.The practice was later taken up by children, who would go from door to door asking for gifts such as food and money .

6. What is a Jack-o-Lantern The practice of decorating “jack-o’-lanterns” is originated in Ireland. Stingy Jack was a miserable, old drunk who took pleasure in playing tricks . One day, he tricked the Devil into climbing up an apple tree. After the Devil climbed up the tree, Stingy Jack placed crosses around the trunk of the tree. Stingy Jack made the Devil promise him not to take his soul when he died. Many years later when Jack died, he went to the gates of Heaven but Stingy Jack was not allowed to enter heaven. Then he went down to Hell . The Devil kept his promise and didn’t allow him to enter Hell. Now Jack was scared . He had nowhere to go . The Devil gave him an ember from the flames of Hell, to help Stingy Jack. Jack had a turnip with him. Jack hollowed out the turnip, and placed the ember the Devil inside the turnip. From that day, Stingy Jack roamed the earth, lighting his way with his "Jack O'Lantern". These were the original Jack O'Lanterns. In the 1800's Irish immigrants came to America. The Irish immigrants quickly discovered that Pumpkins were bigger and easier to carve out. So they used pumpkins for JackO'Lanterns.

7. Typical food for Halloween. • Soul cakes were traditionally given to visitors of your household in return for promises that they would pray on for dead relatives. • Boxty Pancakes are rich, creamy potato pancakes that are eaten in Ireland today, but started out as a traditional Halloween food. • Colcannonis a traditionally dish concerning the fate of unmarried women. They would put the first and last spoonfuls of this Halloween dish into stockings and then hang them on their doors. It was common belief that, once hung, the first man to walk through her door would be her husband. • Baranbrack is like a marble cake that was both a dessert but also a game. Traditionally, a ring is baked into the center of the cake and who ever finds it is guaranteed to be married before the end of the year.