It’s spooky season once again and Halloween is nearly here. I always enjoy the fun costumes and treats that come along with Halloween and this led me to wondering about the history of halloween foods that we associate with All Hallows Eve. I’ve done some digging and am delighted to share my findings with you here.
For us in South Africa, the easy answer to where Halloween originated would be American TV and movies, but of course the origins go far further back. The day has gone by many different names and had various traditions over the centuries before settling on the holiday as we know it today.
To get to the beginning, we need to go way, way back to the Gaelic festival of Samhain, which has also been called the Celtic new year. It was first written about in the 9th Century but the Irish oral traditions go far further back. Just how far back is clouded in mystery, but Ireland has Neolithic-era tombs that are aligned to the rising and setting sun on Samhain. For reference, the neolithic era covers 4000 to 2500 BC, so we are talking seriously old.
Samhain marked the change in the year between summer and winter and it was believed that at this time of year the veil between this world and the otherworld was at its thinnest, allowing spirits to pass through. People honoured their ancestors and wore costumes and masks to disguise themselves against harmful spirits. Bonfires and food also played a large part in the festivities. Samhain was held on 1 November and the evening before the festival was known as All Hallows Eve.
By 1000 AD the pagan Celtic holiday had transformed into the Christian holiday All Saints’ Day. All Saints’ Day was created to celebrate the martyrs and saints of the church and another new holiday, All Souls’ Day, was created for praying for the souls of the dead. Based on the life and death ideal of All Hallows Eve, this new celebration was held in similar ways as the pagan festival, and over time became what we now know as Halloween.
Tricky treats
When talking about the history of halloween foods you can’t ignore trick-or-treating. This tradition has been has been updated for modern society, but the idea of it has been around for a while. Going from door to door comes from All Souls’ Day. This was a day to celebrate and pray for the dead and poor people would go from door to door for soul cake pastries and wealthier neighbours would give out cake in exchange for a prayer for their dead relatives. This practice was referred to as “going a-souling”. Before this tradition, people left out food and wine for the spirits that were said to roam the world on the holiday.
Perfect pumpkins
Pumpkin is something we all associate with Halloween. Carved jack-’o-lanterns are a staple of the season. The carving of pumpkin lanterns originated in Ireland from local folklore, and not from the US as we might think. Originally, turnips or large potatoes were used to carve the lanterns. It was only when Irish migrants took their stories over to America and discovered the superior carving qualities of pumpkins that the jack-’o-lantern took the form we now know. The story behind these lanterns seems to be based on the folk tale of Stingy Jack and these stories recount how Stingy Jack once tricked the Devil into turning himself into a sixpence in exchange for his soul. As to be expected, this eventually backfired on Stingy Jack and he was condemned to wander the earth with nothing but a lump of coal burning inside a hollowed-out turnip, which he used as a lantern to light his way.
Apples and abundance
As you can probably tell by now, the history of Halloween foods we associate with the season comes from a mish mash of cultures from around the world and the candied apple is no different. Originating from the Roman-era harvest festival that was dedicated to Pomona, the goddess of plenty and abundance, apples came to symbolise abundance and fertility for the upcoming Spring months. Part of the festivities involved unmarried, young people attempting to bite into an apple floating in water or suspended from a string (what we know as bobbing for apples). The first to bite into the apple would be deemed next in line to marry. The arrival of the Romans in Britain led to this tradition becoming embedded in Celtic festivals like Samhain and from there was adopted into Halloween celebrations with a sweet candy crust thrown into the mix.
Bread of the dead
Not all Halloween traditional foods are Eurocentric in origin and the well-known Day of the Dead festival in Mexico has its own unique offerings. In Mexico, Halloween celebrations last three days, from 31 October to 2 November, but in Aztec times, people celebrated the dead with a month-long festival. On 31 October, children invite the spirits of children to come and visit, and on 1 November, the adult spirits are welcomed to the house. On 2 November, people visit their family cemeteries and build altars, adorning them with marigolds, incense, and photographs of late family members. Most people make bagels and hang them on these altars, and pour a shot glass of tequila (if that is what the dead person enjoyed of course). The main snack for Mexican people at these celebrations is Pan de Muerto, also known as the bread of the dead. This sweet bread is eaten throughout the festival and is decorated with skulls or candied oranges. Mexicans can also drink the favourite drink of their departed loved ones while sharing stories about the dead.
I always think Halloween is such a fun time of year but I think it is also wise to follow the path of the Mexicans. This is a great time to celebrate those we have loved and lost and to move forward with renewed energy and positivity for the remainder of the year. How will you be celebrating the season this year? Let us know in the comments.
