article by Liz Aston
O
ur supermarket shelves are
groaning with tubs of sweets
and plastic masks. Shop windows
are wreathed with orange bunting
and fake cobwebs. It can only
mean one thing . . . yes, Halloween
is just around the corner.
Whatever your faith or background,
you probably have an opinion about
Halloween. Perhaps you see it as a
rare and welcome moment of
community cohesion, when our
stressed-out youth step away from
their screens to enjoy some harmless
fun and frivolity. As the dark nights
of autumn close in, dressing up,
lighting candles and indulging in
sugary treats can be the perfect
distraction.
Christian, Celtic festival of Samhain,
occurring at the end of the harvest
season and heralding the dark nights
of winter to come.
It is widely believed that Halloween
is an American import. In Britain,
its celebration is a fairly recent
phenomenon, hence the idea that it
was gifted to us by our transatlantic
cousins. Prior to the 1990s, British
kids roamed the streets begging
pennies for the Guy, rather than
sweets. Greengrocers sold seasonal,
local produce, such as parsnips,
carrots and turnips, rather than the
bright, bulbous pumpkins that
have become so ubiquitous today.
between pumpkins and Halloween
today.
So if you want to be strictly
traditional, why not have a go at
turnip carving? Not only will you
be historically accurate, you are
also guaranteed to keep evil spirits
from your door! If, however, turnip
carving isn't really your thing, a
pumpkin makes a bright and
convenient alternative, and can
easily be fashioned into a charming
lantern. With the addition of some
warming spices and perhaps a sweet
potato or two, pumpkin also makes
a delicious soup and a batch can
easily be saved for bonfire night.
In truth, modern day Halloween,
Whatever your stance on Halloween,
owes its heritage to the Irish. When take the chance to savour autumn
On the other hand, you might
in all its glorious hues. Take a walk
settlers arrived in America, they
consider gangs of unruly children
carried their age-old traditions with through the woods; enjoy a blazing
begging at your door for sweets, a
bonfire and a bowl of hearty home-
them, including the practice of
downright nuisance, or even object carving faces into vegetables to ward made soup. After all, once Halloween
on religious grounds. It is argued by off evil spirits on All Hallows Eve.
is over, our supermarket shelves
will soon be twinkling and
some that the festival has a dangerous, Of course, pumpkins were not
traditional fare in Old Ireland and
humming with the promise of
pagan undercurrent, with dark
references to devils, witches and
turnips were in fact the vegetable of Christmas, as shoppers are
marched swiftly on towards
the occult. Such concerns are not
choice. Settlers discovered that
glistening turkeys, glittering trees
without historical basis: Halloween pumpkins made an excellent
and the Boxing Day sales.
reputedly has its roots in the To pre-
alternative,
hence
the
association
advertise call 01684 833715 or email: [email protected]
24