Halloween – what a strange name!

But it wasn’t originally meant to be strange and spooky. Halloween comes from the phrase ‘All Hallows’ Eve’ – the night

before ‘All hallow mass’ on the 1st of November.

It is a Christian Mass for the honour of all saint people known as hallows.

Halloween

traditions come from England

and Ireland.

In olden days it was called ‘Samhain’ - festival celebrating the end of summer, when animals

were brought in to farms for the winter.

It was also the time when people believed that the souls of dead people came back to life.

Fires were lit to guide the spirits back to their homes and food was put out for them. People would also do

fortune telling.

On Halloween night, it is said all spooky creatures gather together , making horrible noises through the night, sneaking from behind trees.

You can hear the owls screeching into the dark , dark night where the moonlight shines upon them.

Pumpkins were not always used to make jack – o’ – lanterns. Irish children would carve out turnips and lit

them out with candles for Halloween. When they arrived to America they found out that pumpkins made

much nicer jack – o’ – lanterns.

Why would anybody do such a strange thing in the first place?

Irish legend tells about a mean , stingy and nasty man who died. He would be sent away into the night

carrying only a carved out turnip with a candle inside for light.

The witches on their broomsticks rushing through the night to make a nasty potion to cast a spell on you.

On with the special hat, the wand makes a waving motion. Sprinkle with magic dust, now make a potion –

Stir it round – Hubble Bubble, look in the pot and see your double.

Mish – mash, Bish – bash in goes a snake hear it splash!

Halloween has always been an evening filled with fun. After dark, costumed children go from house to house demanding ‘Trick or Treat!’. Halloween is another excellent

excuse for having parties and having fun.