Halloween or All Hallows Eve is a celebration observed in many countries on 31st October, the day before All Saints Day, and is a time for remembering those that have departed. Popular Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, dressing up in fancy dress costumes, carving pumpkins, lighting bonfires and also apple bobbing.
It is believed that Halloween dates back more than 2,000 years, and is linked to a Celtic Festival relating to spirits crossing. It is suggested that 31st October is the date when the veil between the worlds is its thinnest, allowing ghouls and spirits to climb through to the land of the living and wreak havoc! Sacrificial bonfires were lit to ward off ghosts, and people wore costumes to trick the spirits – could this be where the fancy dress tradition was created? It turns out trick-or-treating has roots in history too, when children were dressed up and went door to door looking for food or money in exchange for songs or tricks.
Today, around 99% of the pumpkins produced are carved for the period of Halloween and there is a belief that if you see a spider on Halloween, it is the spirit of a loved one who is watching you.
Our team have been up to all sorts to celebrate, from spooktacular team treats to pumpkin carving.
