This night was also considered the best time to make forecasts about such important matters as marriage, health, luck and death. Many of the methods used to make these divinations have come down to us in the form of games that children still play today. One such game is ducking for apples. This was used as a marriage divination - the person to bite an apple first would be the first to get married that year.

The Christian festival of All Hallows' Eve, a holy or hallowed evening, was also observed on the same day. This was influenced by the early Celtic rituals of Samhain. Gradually, the two festivals merged into Halloween, the secular festival that is celebrated today.

Irish immigrants carried the secular practices of Halloween to America in the 19th century, where mischief making by young people on the night became part of the observances. This would often include turning over sheds, or breaking windows, and result in serious damage to property.

Today Halloween is celebrated mainly by small children, dressed up as their favourite evil character, going from door to door, demanding a treat or threatening a trick instead.

A favourite symbol of Halloween is the Jack-O'-Lantern, a hollowed out pumpkin carved with a scary face, and with a lighted candle inside. In Scotland, a turnip was used, but was substituted by a pumpkin in America.

Halloween
1   2