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