Find out how Halloween first began

Halloween was introduced to Britain over 2,000 years ago, but was presented to the world in the 10th century.

This holiday is celebrated on the 31st of October and is a tradition in more than 32 countries. These include countries such as the United States, Canada, France, Ireland, Austria, Belgium, China, Hong Kong, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Latin America and Spain. Halloween was originated at the start of the ancient Celtic festivals of Samhain. The word Halloween comes from a Scottish adverb which means All Hallows Eve. On this day it is common to do activities such as dressing up as monsters and ghosts, trick-or-treating and carving pumpkins. And on the evening of Halloween, it is said that the ghosts and spirits come down to earth to haunt the living for one night only and then are summoned back to their home.

*A history of pumpkin carvingThe tradition of carving pumpkins into Jack O’Lanterns originally came from Ireland and was then introduced to America.But the original Jack O’Lanterns were not pumpkins, they were turnips.Pumpkins didn’t exist in Ireland, but ancient Celtic cultures carved turnips on All Hallow’s Eve and placed an ember in them to ward off evil spirits.The name Jack O’Lantern comes from an Irish folk tale about a man named Stingy Jack, a man who took pleasure in playing tricks on all his family and friends.

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