What is the history of Halloween?

When did we start celebrating Halloween?

Halloween’s origins can be traced back to the seventh century, when Pope Boniface IV established All Saints’ Day on 13 May, to honour saints who had reached heaven. However, in the eighth century, this feast day was moved to 1 November. Upon this change, the day before it – 31 October – became known as All Hallows’ Eve, or Halloween.

The shift in this Christian date from May to November was likely intended to replace the pagan festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in), an ancient Celtic celebration marking the end of the harvest and the onset of winter.

“In earlier times [Samhain] referred to one of the four great festivals of the traditional Gaelic year,” explains historian Mark Williams, author of The Celtic Myths That Shape The Way We Think (Thames & Hudson, 2021).

“In the landlocked midlands of Ireland it would often have coincided with the first frosts. We do not know exactly how it was celebrated, but gatherings of tribal groups, feasting, and the lighting of bonfires almost certainly played a part.”

It was also during this time that the boundary between the living and the dead was believed to be at its thinnest, shown by widespread cultural practices. For instance, throughout the medieval period, people would light a candle at midnight to guide ghosts back to their home, believing that spirits walked the earth.

Why do we carve pumpkins?

Carving pumpkins is one of Halloween’s most iconic traditions, but the custom originated with a different vegetable entirely – turnips.

In 19th and early 20th-century Ireland, people carved turnips to honour the Irish folk tale of a man named Stingy Jack, which originated from the early 1600s. The story goes that he trapped the devil and would only release him on one condition: that he would not go to hell upon his death.

However, when Jack discovered that heaven would not allow his soul to enter when the time came, he was doomed to wander the earth for eternity. Legend says that the devil gave Jack a burning coal to light his way, and Jack carved out a turnip to hold it.

During the 19th century, when large numbers of Irish people emigrated to the United States of America, they found that native pumpkins were much easier to carve than turnips. And so, the modern jack-o’-lantern was born.

Today, these glowing faces are carved to ward off wandering spirits on Halloween night, while also adding a festive flair to the doorsteps of houses wishing to partake in the celebrations.

What is the history of trick-or-treating?

The modern practice of trick-or-treating has its roots in various historical celebrations.

A key influence was the British tradition of ‘souling’, in which people – usually the poorer in society – would go door-to-door offering prayers for the deceased in exchange for food. From the Victorian period, people were given ‘soul cakes’.

In parts of Yorkshire, 31 October was called ‘Cake Night’ for centuries, due to the observation of these traditions and the custom of making cake on this final night of the month.

The tradition of ‘guising’, in which people would dress up and perform door-to-door in exchange for food or money, was also prevalent in parts of Scotland and Ireland from at least the 16th century. When Irish and Scottish immigrants later arrived in America, this practice evolved into what we now recognise as trick-or-treating.

But what about the ‘trick’ in trick-or-treat? Mischief Night, which occurred on 30 April and later moved to 4 November, was first recorded in 1790 when a headmaster instructed his students to stage a play with the title An Ode to Fun which praises children’s tricks on Mischief Night in most approving terms.

“At this time, young men would settle grudges with pranks such as uprooting fences, trampling gardens, and setting livestock loose,” explain folklore specialists Chris and Karen Allen. “In 1865 one William Banks tells us: ‘Boys… used to go about damaging property, believing the law allowed them on this night.’”

By the mid-20th century this mischief, combined with more innocent practices, created the modern tradition in which children go door-to-door collecting sweets shouting, “trick or treat”.

As this custom became more established, confectionary companies realised that they might be able to use the celebration to their advantage – making small, individually wrapped sweets specifically for the occasion. Therefore, the tradition we know today was born.

Why do we dress up in costume on Halloween?

The tradition of wearing costumes on Halloween traces back to the ancient Celts.

During Samhain, they believed that spirits roamed the earth and, to avoid being recognised by these malevolent beings, they would wear disguises. By donning costumes, they hoped to confuse the spirits and evade harm.

This practice has evolved over the centuries into the playful costume-wearing we see today. Whether dressing as witches, ghosts, or pop culture icons, the tradition of wearing costumes on Halloween remains a key part of the celebration.

What is the history of pumpkin spice?

Pumpkin spice is now synonymous with the trappings of autumn, but it wasn’t always used to flavour lattes.

The first commercial pumpkin spice blend dates back to 1933, with Thompson & Taylor Spice Co being the first on the market. The mix we’re more familiar with today was released in 1934, by McCormick & Company.

Aimed to simplify the process of making pumpkin pie, a classic American dessert, this blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice provided an easy – and more economical – solution to gathering individual spices.

In 2003, Starbucks popularised pumpkin spice in the form of the now-iconic pumpkin spice latte, while on the hunt for a drink that would be as successful as their peppermint mocha. This seasonal drink quickly became a cultural phenomenon, and soon the flavour expanded into everything, from candles to body lotions, even spam!

In 2022, ‘pumpkin spice’ even made it into the dictionary, cementing its place among autumnal traditions.