Halloween traditions

On October 31st, we celebrate Halloween, thought to be the one night of the year when ghosts, witches, and fairies are especially active. So what do people do on Halloween Day
in England?

One Halloween party
game is called
‘bobbing for
apples’. Apples
are put in a big bowl
full of water. The players, sometimes blindfolded must take an apple out of the water without using their hands.
Apple Bobbing

Jack-o-lantern
Jack-o-lanterns are hollowed out pumpkins
with a face cut in one side
and a candle put inside.
In the old days people lit fires to scare away bad spirits. They believed light had power over darkness. Today Jack-o-lanterns are supposed to frighten away ghosts and witches.

Dressing up
On Halloween, when it was believed that bad spirits came back to the earthly world, people thought they would meet ghosts if they left their homes.

To avoid being recognized by ghosts people would wear masks when they left homes after dark so that
the ghosts would
mistake them for fellow
spirits. That’s why
Halloween costumes are
traditionally monsters such as vampires, ghosts, witches and devils.
Dressing up

Trick or Treat
Children in costumes go from house to house in their neighbourhood, often in small groups, in
order to ask for
treats such as
sweets,
lollipops,
chocolates
or money.

When someone answers the door, the children say: ’Trick or treat?’ The "trick" is a threat to perform mischief on the homeowners or their property if no treat is given.
Trick or Treat