This document provides information about the origins and traditions of Halloween. It discusses how Halloween has Celtic origins and is celebrated on October 31st. Some key traditions mentioned include carving pumpkins and lighting candles to ward off evil spirits, bobbing for apples, dressing up in costumes, and trick-or-treating - where children knock on doors demanding treats. The document also outlines some Halloween superstitions such as finishing journeys before sunset, carrying bread and salt for protection, and using hazelnuts and candles in divination rituals to learn about future relationships.

1. HALLOWEEN!
CARLA ESTURILLO
MAR FERNANDEZ
4ºA

2. ORIGINS
Halloween, also known as night of witches or night of deceased, is a celebration of Celtic
origin that is held internationally on the night of 31 October, especially in British countries.
The day of All Saints is a Christian celebration, that all Catholics celebrate the day one of
November.
The word "Halloween" was first used in the sixteenth century, and comes from a Scottish
variation.

3. TRADITIONS
·Pumpkin lanterns: These are hollowed out pumpkins with a face cut into one side.
People once carver out beets, potatoes and turnips to use as lanterns on
Halloween.
·Fire: The old days people lit bonfires, to scare away evil spirits. they believed that
light had power over darkness. Today, we light candles in pumpkin lanterns and
then put them outside our homes to frighten away spirits.

4. ·Apple bobbing: The apples game is that the
contestants are blindfolded. They have to get this
bobbing for apples in a bowl of water or hanging from a
rope. This will have to do without using your hands.
·Dressing up: The tradition of dressing in costume for Halloween has both European
and Celtic roots. On Halloween, when it was believed that ghosts came back to
the earthly world, people thought that they would encounter ghosts if they left their
homes. To avoid being recognized by these ghosts, people would wear masks
when they left their homes after dark so that the ghosts would mistake them for
fellow spirits.
The keep ghosts away from their houses on Halloween, people would place bowls
of food outside their homes to appease the ghosts and prevent them from
attempting to enter.
·Trick or treat: Halloween was a time for making mischief - many parts of England
still recognise Halloween as Mischief Night - when children would knock on doors
demanding a treat and people would disguise themselves as
witches, ghosts, kelpies and spunkies, in order to obtain food and money from
nervous householders.

5. SUPERSTITIONS
·On Halloween, journeys must be finished before sunset.
·A piece of bread crossed with salt was carried in the pockets of travellers to
keep them safe.
·Hazel nuts: Girls placed hazel nuts along the front of the fire grate, each one to symbolize one of
her suitors. She could them find out who her future husband would be by chanting, 'If you love
me, pop and fly; if you hate me, burn and died. People believed that the devil was a nutgatherer. At Halloween, nuts were used as magic charms.
·Candles: Take a candle and look into a mirror whilst combing your hair or eating an apple. Your
future husband will appear peeking over your shoulder.