As of 12 September, there are 49 days left until Halloween 2023!
In the last post we talked about the origins of Halloween, this time I went for a more comprehensive look at Halloween and found out that Halloween customs are also very interesting, take a look!
Halloween, also known as Halloween, is celebrated on the 1st of November every year, and the 31st of October, the night before Halloween, is the most lively moment of this festival. As one of the traditional western festivals, Halloween has also spawned many western folklore with colours of ghosts, gods, festivals and religion.
It is most popular in western countries such as the United States, the British Isles, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. According to local customs, children will dress up in devil make-up costumes and masks that night and go door-to-door to collect candies. However, with secularisation and entertainment, Halloween activities in some places no longer focus on the mysterious and scary atmosphere, but mainly on the weird and costume shows.
Traditional Halloween customs
So how much do you know about traditional Halloween customs? Here’s what I learned：
Pumpkin Lanterns, also known as Jack-o-lanterns
Pumpkin lanterns are the most important symbol of Halloween Eve. It originated in Ireland, and you can read my last blog about the specific legend of pumpkin lanterns.
Nowadays, pumpkin lanterns have more innovations and have become one of the most representative and iconic elements of Halloween celebrations. They are known for their unique appearance and stunning lighting effects that add a special charm to this scary holiday.
The making process of pumpkin lantern
The process of making pumpkin lights is relatively simple, but requires some skill and patience.
- First of all, you need to choose a pick a pumpkin of good quality. Try to choose a pumpkin that is free of scratches, scrapes and cut marks.
- The pumpkin tip must be tough and not bend too much when you press it with your hand. The color of the pumpkin should be as consistent as possible. Tap the pumpkin as you would a watermelon. If you hear a hollow sound, the pumpkin is ripe. Pick a pumpkin with a flat bottom.
- This makes the pumpkin easier to carve and display on Halloween night.
- Confirm the expression you want, you can search for your favorite online. Draw eyes, nose and mouth on the pumpkin.
- Then dig a hole in the top of the pumpkin. The hole should not be too small to fit your fist. Leave the lid dug out.
- Use a large spoon to vigorously scrape the inside of the pumpkin clean of any sticking and pumpkin seeds, and carve the pumpkin according
- to the realized drawn pattern.
- Put the candle on a small plate, put the plate into the pumpkin lamp can be.
- Put the finished pumpkin lamp, hang in front of the house or support in the yard in front of the door. Passersby who come and go will see it and know that the family has candy hair.
The lighting of the pumpkin is the most exciting part of the whole making process. When night falls and the candle is lit, a soft, auspicious glow emanates from the inside of the pumpkin, illuminating everything in front of it. The unique lighting effects and scary faces of pumpkin lights bring a sense of fantasy, mystery and joy.
There are also many professional pumpkin carving competitions and exhibitions that give people a platform to showcase their talent and creativity. I wish I could participate in the Halloween 2023 pumpkin carving competition~ I am very confident in my knife skills!
Trick or trea
The version of Halloween trick-or-treating that I’ve heard of is that kids dress up in all kinds of Halloween costumes, walk around in pairs, and knock on doors asking for candy. Of course, basically everyone gives candy, but there are versions that say if you don’t give candy, kids get angry and punish you in all sorts of ways by putting soap on your doorknob and dyeing your cat. Not that I’ve ever seen anyone not trick-or-treating and then the kids trick-or-treating.
Suddenly I imagine a TV episode where a little boy knocks on a family’s door, the man is in a bad mood because he forgot his wife’s anniversary and is fighting with her, complaining about why there are so many holidays to remember, then he hears a knock on the door and goes to answer it, cursing, and the boy says, “Trick or trea,” and the man, who has completely forgotten about Halloween, says, “It’s Halloween, oh, what’s the matter? It’s Halloween, oh why is it a holiday again”, then angrily closes the door and the boy yells through the door, “No trick or treating sir? Man replies: no one is home! Then there’s a thud, the man opens the door, there’s a dye stain on the door, and then he looks up and a “cannonball” of dye hits him in the face, accompanied by the boys saying: Trick or trea!
I wonder if there’s a similar episode of the TV show? It’s so graphic!
The custom originated in ancient Western Europe when people would dress up as elves and go from house to house begging for food. They believed that they had to give the elves worship and food to please them, otherwise the elves would play tricks on them. Fruit and other foodstuffs would also be placed in front of the house and in the yard to feed the spirits without them harming humans or plundering other harvests.
Halloween Costumes
Legend has it that Halloween costumes originated with the Celts, who believed that 31st October was the beginning of winter, and that the dead would return to their homelands on this day in search of the living to regenerate. Therefore, the living will be in this day to extinguish the fire, candlelight, and dress up in the appearance of demons and monsters to scare away the spirits of the dead.
Nowadays, Halloween costumes are very diverse and are no longer restricted to ghosts and goblins. The aim is not only to create an atmosphere of horror and entertainment, but it is also an opportunity to express individuality and show creativity. People can dress up to show their love for a character or to convey some fun, humorous or meaningful message
Apple Biting
This is one of the most popular games on the eve of Halloween. People make apples float in a basin filled with water and then let children bite the apples with their mouths without using their hands, and whoever bites the apple first wins.
Ghost Stories
Ghost stories were also told on the night before Halloween, a custom that also came out of ancient Celtic witchcraft. They built huge bonfires high in the mountains to thank the sun god and to scare away demons. They sat around the fires and watched the red-hot embers as they recounted their horrific experiences. The witches also told fortunes. Black cats are thought to be good luck brought by witches, and some are thought to be incarnations of witches.
These are all the sayings about Halloween customs that I have learnt, and they are really very interesting. You are also welcome to share more in the comment section, and you will definitely get more out of it! Let’s look forward to Halloween 2023 together!