The Spooky Origins of Your Favorite Halloween Traditions

Info @ 123RF
Oct 27
4 min read

Halloween pumpkins and decorations outside a house

The air is getting crisp, and spooky decorations are emerging, which can only mean one thing: All Halloween Eve is just around the corner!

Needless to say, our excitement for Halloween is building, and we hope you're just as excited for all the fun activities and customs this holiday brings.

But have you ever paused to ask about the history of these traditions? Why do we carve pumpkins? Where did trick-or-treating come from? Let’s unearth the spooky origins of Halloween.

The Ancient Roots of Halloween: From Samhain to All Hallows Eve

Halloween's story didn't start with jack-o’-lanterns and trick-or-treating. Its roots trace back over 2,000 years to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced 'sow-in').

Celebrated at the end of the harvest season, the Celts believed the barrier between the world of the living and the dead became blurred on this night. To ward off wandering ghosts, they would light massive bonfires and wear costumes. This pagan ritual was heavily influenced by early folk beliefs.

Later, in the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1st as All Saints' Day, a time to honor all saints.

The evening before this holy day was consequently known as All Hallows Eve. Over time, this name shortened to "Halloween." It gradually evolved into the spooky, fun-filled festival we celebrate today, known for its costume parties, pranks, and carved pumpkins.

Let’s explore the history of some of the most popular Halloween traditions.

The Legend of the Jack-o'-Lantern

Young playful girl with her Halloween jack-o'-lantern

These glowing, orange gourds are the most iconic symbol of the Halloween season. But did you know that the original jack-o'-lanterns weren't pumpkins at all? People first carved creepy faces into turnips!

The tradition comes from a popular Irish folktale about a man named "Stingy Jack." Jack was a cunning and mischievous man who famously tricked the Devil on multiple occasions. According to the legend, he invited the Devil for a drink. True to his nickname, Stingy Jack didn't want to pay and convinced the Devil to transform into a coin.

The Devil agreed and turned into a coin. But Jack, pulling a fast one, decided to keep the money. He trapped the coin in his pocket next to a silver cross, which stopped the Devil from changing back to his original form.

Eventually, Stingy Jack freed the Devil, but only on the condition that the Devil could never claim his soul when he died. The Devil reluctantly agreed.

When Stingy Jack finally passed away, he was turned away from the gates of heaven for his sinful, deceitful life. But the Devil had to keep his promise and couldn't take his soul either. Instead, the Devil sent Jack off into the eternal night, giving him only a single burning coal to light his way.

Jack placed the coal inside a carved-out turnip and has been roaming the Earth ever since. His ghostly figure became known as "Jack of the Lantern," and later, simply "Jack O' Lantern!"

People in Ireland and Scotland began carving their own frightening faces into turnips and potatoes to scare away Stingy Jack and other wandering spirits. When immigrants brought this tradition to America, they discovered that native pumpkins were much larger and far easier to carve, creating the perfect vessel for the modern jack-o'-lantern.

Why We Wear Halloween Costumes

Do ghosts get spooked by other ghosts? The ancient Celts certainly thought so. They would dress up in ghoulish costumes during Samhain hoping to blend in with the wandering spirits or frighten them away. We can't be sure if it actually worked!

Today, Halloween costumes are no longer limited to just being scary. The tradition has evolved into a fun form of self-expression, with people dressing as anything from superheroes to pop culture icons.

The History of Trick-or-Treating

Little children trick or treating on Halloween

Why exactly do children put on costumes and go door-to-door asking for candy? The origin of trick-or-treating is likely a fascinating mix of several different historical practices.

Theory 1: The Celts would leave offerings of food outside to appease the spirits they believed roamed the Earth on Samhain. Over time, people (especially children) began to "roleplay" as these spirits, dressing in disguises to go from house to house receiving food and drinks.
Theory 2: This practice may come from "souling" in the Middle Ages. On All Souls' Day (November 2nd), poor people would visit the houses of wealthier neighbors. They were given pastries called "soul cakes" in exchange for promising to pray for the souls of the family's dead relatives.
Theory 3: Trick-or-treating might also stem from a German-American custom called "belsnickelling." Children would dress in disguises and challenge the adults to guess their identity. If an adult couldn't identify the child, they were given treats as a reward.

Apple Bobbing: A Halloween Romance Ritual?

Unlike ghosts and ghouls, the origin of apple bobbing is surprisingly rooted in love and romance—and originally had nothing to do with Halloween.

This game was once a popular courting ritual in Britain, used by young women and their potential suitors. In a large tub of water, apples were floated, with each apple assigned to an eligible male.

A young woman would then try to bite into an apple using only her mouth. The apple she successfully snagged was believed to represent the man she was destined to be with. If she succeeded on her first try, it meant true love. If it took a few tries, it was said they would have a relationship, but it wouldn't last.

The Symbolic Colors of Halloween: Black, Orange, and Purple

Swiss shepherd dog in hat with halloween pumpkin

The two colors most associated with Halloween are, of course, black and orange. This is no coincidence.

Orange symbolized the warmth of the autumn harvest, the changing leaves, and the last of the season's bounty.
Black best represented the "death" of the year, the coming of the cold winter, darkness, and the unknown.
Purple is the lesser-noticed color of Halloween, but it's just as important. Purple is historically associated with spirituality, magic, and all things mystical. This makes it a perfect symbolic color for a festival with ancient roots tied to spirits, the afterlife, and the supernatural.