Holiday Traditions and Related Foods : Halloween

Halloween is a time of celebration and superstition. Its traditions have strong roots in three celebrations: the Celtic festival of Samhain, the Roman festival of Pomona, and All Saints’ and Soul’s Day.

Samhain, or “summer’s end,” is an ancient Celtic festival that indicated the harvest season, and the beginning of the long, dark days of winter. Celts lived in the areas of Scotland, Wales, Ireland, England, Brittany and Northern France. The Celts supposed that during Samhain, the spirits of deceased ancestors roam among the living. Villagers make offerings of food and wine hoping to make contact with their deceased family members. Some typical dishes were boxty, champ, soul cakes, and barmbark. To avoid visits from unwelcomed spirits, “ghoulish disguises” are worn so that they might be mistaken for spirits themselves.

Another celebration, Pomona, goes back to ancient Roman times. Pomona was the “Roman goddess of orchards and harvest.” On November 1, the Romans honored her with offerings of nuts and orchard fruits. Because of the Pomona festival’s nearness to Samhain, the two holidays combined “after the Romans invaded Britain in 43 A.D.”

When Christianity began to grow throughout Europe, the other holidays transitioned into a Christian celebration known as the feasts of All Saints' and Souls. In 835 A.D, the Roman Catholic Church made November 1st a religious holiday to honor the saints. Villagers baked soul cakes. Young men would go through the town singing songs in exchange for money, food or ale. Wearing costumes was a way to honor the saints instead of scaring off unwelcomed spirits.

The ancient celebrations were then brought to America by 19th century Irish immigrants. Originally, they carved potatoes and turnips into lanterns as a welcome for their deceased loved ones. These were soon replaced with pumpkins.

Our trick-or-treating custom is related to the All Saints' Day custom of offering ale, food and money to young men who traveled throughout the town. The American practice of dressing in costumes is from the Samhain practice of putting on ghoulish disguises designed to scare off visits from unwelcome spirits. Candy, candy corn, and baked decorated goods like cookies and cupcakes are typical American Halloween foods that were later created.

Some Halloween foods are:

Nuts and Fruits