| Halloween can be traced back to the Celts living in | | | | "trick-or-treating" is popular all over the world. |
| northern Europe nearly 2000 years ago. They | | | | Halloween is a global celebration with party games and |
| celebrated a holiday called Samhain which marked the | | | | costumes, seasonal recipes and decorative displays. |
| end of the summer and harvest times and the | | | | Halloween is no longer seen as an evening to dread, |
| beginning of the long, dark, cold winter months. They | | | | but more a time to be light hearted, to let children make |
| believed that on Samhain night witches, ghosts and evil | | | | mischief and coax treats and candy from resigned |
| spirits ruled the world and that the souls of the dead | | | | adults. |
| would return to the places where once they had lived. | | | | You can decorate your table with scary Halloween |
| The Celtic people would build huge bonfires to scare | | | | images, Halloween Party Bunting and make spooky |
| away the spooks and witches but set out food and | | | | lights from carved out pumpkins and enjoy games |
| lanterns to welcome the souls of the dead. | | | | such as apple bobbing or House of Horrors. For this |
| To try to eradicate this pagan custom, the Christian | | | | game you completely darken one room, play scary |
| Church set November 1st as All Saints' Day and the | | | | music and guide children, a few at a time through such |
| night before as All Hallows' Eve. Over time, Halloween | | | | delights as: |
| became associated with many more rituals, such as | | | | - peeled grapes (eyeballs) |
| trick or treating where money or food was given by | | | | - dried fruit slices - apple or pear slices are good (ears) |
| householders to those wearing Halloween disguises. | | | | - cooked cold pasta (brains) |
| The custom migrated to the USA with the many Irish | | | | - yoghurt (slime) |
| immigrants in the 19th century and now | | | | And so on ... Happy Halloween to you all! |