Top 5 Facts: Halloween

Disguises

The ancient Celts who inhabited Britain 2,000 years ago were so fearful of spirits wandering the lands on Halloween night that they wore masks and costumes to pretend they were not human, a tradition carried out today for enjoyment rather than avoiding ghosts.

Luck of the Irish

Like the Celts, the Irish were also a fearful bunch. They would hollow out turnips and place a candle inside to ward off evil spirits, which led to the jack-o-lantern being used for decoration in modern times.

Trick or Feast

Again pioneering modern Halloween traditions, the Irish peasants would prepare feasts in their towns by asking for contributions from neighbours, in exchange for praying for a loved one who had passed away. This later evolved into a trick being played on the occupant if food was not given, a practice frowned upon today.

Bestseller

The pumpkin originated in Mexico about 9,000 years ago as a gift for sea-faring explorers. It’s  estimated that 10 million pumpkins are grown in the UK every year, 95% of which will be used as jack-o-lanterns.

Meet a witch

If you want to be greeted by a witch on Halloween night, the best thing to do is to walk backwards with your clothes on inside out. However, until we test this theory, we can’t guarantee it will work.

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