When visiting a local supermarket the other day, I was greeted with a huge display of pumpkins. No doubt some will be sold for food but I suspect the majority will be sold to make Halloween lanterns in time for Halloween festivities at the end of the month.
When I was a child I had never seen a pumpkin. I knew, of course, the story of Cinderella going to a ball in a coach which had morphed from a pumpkin, but I was always mystified as to what a pumpkin was.
We made our Halloween lanterns from turnips and it was jolly hard work digging out the interior. Needless to say my mother was not pleased wasting good food in those post war ration days!
Halloween lanterns were introduced at the beginning of the First Century by Celtic tribes in Ireland and the custom spread to Britain. Irish immigrants took the practice to America where plentiful pumpkins soon supplanted the humble turnip.
And, of course, pumpkin lanterns have now come back to Britain.
Pre Christianity, our Celtic forbears believed that with the coming of winter darkness the evil spirits of the dead came to haunt the living. They believed that the boundary between living and being dead was very thin. They believed that light frightened the spirits away. Bonfires were lit and lights were carried. Possibly, it could be believed that a carved face on a turnip lantern was even more effective?
When Christianity arrived during the later Roman occupation, the Church introduced All Saints Day, originally in the Spring but later moved to the 1 November. It is called ‘All Hallows Day’ when worshippers remember and thank all Christian saints whether known or forgotten. The 31 October was known as ‘All Hallows Eve’ and eventually became known as the secular Halloween.
Trick or treat, the practice of children dressing up in fancy clothing, originated with children in poorer and hungrier times, asking for special food treats to eat. Special pastries were baked for these visitors. Of course, these days when most (but not all) children do have enough to eat, the expectation is chocolate, sweets or money.
As long as children make a good creative effort with their dressing up clothes, I am quite happy to welcome them at my door. I particularly like to see their Halloween lanterns.
This post was written by Hon Alderwoman Elizabeth Nash
Photo: Shutterstock
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