Things to do

Origins

Halloween is now celebrated beyond Britain and Ireland but it dates back more than two thousand years to the Celtic Samhain festival. November 1 was the first day of the Celtic New Year. The transition between the old and new year was when the Celts believed the souls of the dead and evil spirits could visit the living world.

The Catholic church moved All Saints Day from May to November, perhaps in an effort to contain the Pagan festival of Samhain. Samhain then became known as Halloween - the eve before All Hallows or All Saints Day.

Traditions

The Scottish tradition of 'guising' can be traced back to Samhain where people would use masks and decorations to disguise themselves and scare away evil spirits.

Pumpkin lantern

Halloween gifts given to guisers also have their origins in Samhain as sacrifices were made in order to placate evil spirits. The tradition also encompasses the tradition of 'Mummers' who would dress up and perform plays in return for food and gifts.

Candles and lanterns were used to keep the dead away from the living at Samhain and this tradition was carried on with the use of turnip lanterns in Scotland for Halloween. Pumpkins are now more commonly used as the commercial aspects of Halloween are imported from the US.

Halloween rituals in Scotland include:

'Dooking' for apples. This may have evolved from the Roman celebration of honouring the goddess of fruit,  'Pomona', represented by an apple. It may also have its origins in witches being 'ducked'. Eating treacle-covered scones hanging from a string is another part of a traditional Scottish Halloween.

Full moon

Other traditions involving apples include peeling an apple in a long peel then throwing the peel over your shoulder - the letter the peel forms would be the initial of a future spouse. It was thought that a future spouse may also appear by slicing an apple in half and eating it in front of a mirror by candlelight.

A marriage partner's shape could also be guessed at by going into a field of kail and pulling a stalk of kail from the field. It was thought that the shape of the kail would match the shape of a future spouse.

Halloween events in your area

There are many events taking place in Tayside and Central Scotland. Here are a few of the Halloween happenings:

Celtic Samhain Festival, Scottish Crannog Centre, Kenmore on 31 October. Join in the celebrations for Samhain by watching a wicker ram burn in ceremonial sacrifice, joining in a torch-lit procession through the lochside woods and enjoying traditional activities such as dooking for apples and lantern carving.

Vampires, witches and even a bear are amongst the puppets in the spooky puppet show being held at Scone Palace on 31 October. A best lantern and fancy dress competition are amongst the other activities taking place at the palace.

Witch and cat lantern

Scary stories and a torch-lit trail are on offer at Templeton Woods, Dundee, as part of 'Halloween Howling' on 30 October. Don fancy dress and take along a lantern to enter the competitions.

Scary puppets and terrifying tales are happening at Pictavia on 31 October as part of the spooky puppet shows. Storytelling will replace the puppet shows on 1 November. Join in the pumpkin hunt, take a ghostly walk or just enjoy the Halloween party.

Join the Halloween party night at the David Marshall Lodge in Achray Forest on 31 October. Ghost walks, stories, games and jugglers are amongst the activities taking place at the party.

Tales of body-snatching and witch trails will be taking place at Stirling Old Town Jail for Halloween on 30 and 31 October. Explore the jail's Victorian past in a terrifying tour.