Before pumpkins became the default item to carve, it was the humble turnip which used to be scooped out, lit up and set on display. The tradition seems to date back to the Irish legend of “Stingy Jack”, but evidence of the practice can be found in both Ireland and Scotland from the 19th century. People would carve scary faces into turnips and place them near windows or doors to scare away evil spirits. In England, they used large beets. As for pumpkins, when immigrants from the UK moved to the United States they took the practice with them, adapting it instead to use pumpkins which are easier to carve, if less traditional, than neeps. Before pumpkins became the default item to carve, it was the humble turnip which used to be scooped out, lit up and set on display. The tradition seems to date back to the Irish legend of “Stingy Jack”, but evidence of the practice can be found in both Ireland and Scotland from the 19th century. People would carve scary faces into turnips and place them near windows or doors to scare away evil spirits. In England, they used large beets. As for pumpkins, when immigrants from the UK moved to the United States they took the practice with them, adapting it instead to use pumpkins which are easier to carve, if less traditional, than neeps.
Before pumpkins became the default item to carve, it was the humble turnip which used to be scooped out, lit up and set on display. The tradition seems to date back to the Irish legend of “Stingy Jack”, but evidence of the practice can be found in both Ireland and Scotland from the 19th century. People would carve scary faces into turnips and place them near windows or doors to scare away evil spirits. In England, they used large beets. As for pumpkins, when immigrants from the UK moved to the United States they took the practice with them, adapting it instead to use pumpkins which are easier to carve, if less traditional, than neeps. | David Hepburn

Halloween in Scotland: 13 ancient Scottish Halloween customs and traditions which date back to Samhain

Lauren Jack
By Lauren Jack

Search and Trends Writer

Published 29th Oct 2024, 12:46 GMT

Now celebrated around the world, Halloween’s origins can be traced back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain with many of the holiday’s customs such as dressing up originating in Scotland.

When the leaves begin changing colour and Autumn arrives, for many it means one thing is almost here: Halloween.

Celebrated on October 31 each year, the holiday is observed in many countries around the world; however, its origins began with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain.

Many of the customs we see during modern Halloween celebrations originate from Scotland or Ireland, when the Pagan festival was said to mark the date when the barrier between the spirit world and the physical world was at its weakest. It also ushered in the beginning of winter, or the “dark half of the year”.

And while many of the traditional Celtic observations have faded from popularity with Halloween’s eventual association with Christianity, there are some – such as guising – which remain.

Here are thirteen ancient Halloween customs or concepts which demonstrate how it has been celebrated in Scotland in the past.

In the present day, Halloween is largely used as an excuse to whip out your best fancy dress costume and eat lots of sweets. However, in ancient Scotland the festival represented not only a significant milestone in the year relating to the harvest but also the time of year when the veil between the world of the living and the world of spirits such as demons, spirits and witches was at its thinnest. As such, this was when the Celts would take action to ward off the evil which threatened them and their land.

1. Halloween began as a holiday to ward off evil spirits

In the present day, Halloween is largely used as an excuse to whip out your best fancy dress costume and eat lots of sweets. However, in ancient Scotland the festival represented not only a significant milestone in the year relating to the harvest but also the time of year when the veil between the world of the living and the world of spirits such as demons, spirits and witches was at its thinnest. As such, this was when the Celts would take action to ward off the evil which threatened them and their land. | Getty Images

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As a result of the Celts’ beliefs, people would dress up in terrifying costumes in the hopes of warding off evil. Unlike today these costumes wouldn’t involve dressing up as superheroes or popular characters, but instead transforming into a terrifying monster or animal to scare off evil and avoid harm. Essentially: the scarier, the better.

2. As such, costumes were far scarier

As a result of the Celts’ beliefs, people would dress up in terrifying costumes in the hopes of warding off evil. Unlike today these costumes wouldn’t involve dressing up as superheroes or popular characters, but instead transforming into a terrifying monster or animal to scare off evil and avoid harm. Essentially: the scarier, the better. | Bangkok Click Studio - stock.adobe.com

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It may have fallen out of use slightly with how Americanised some Halloween customs have become, but many in Scotland still go guising every year. Coming from the word disguising, it refers to the tradition of dressing up as spirits to remain safe from harm. The idea was that children would blend in with the wandering ghouls, going door to door to perform tricks or songs to receive gifts to help ward off evil. This custom is where the tradition of “trick-or-treating” originates from.

3. Trick-or-treating? No, in Scotland it’s guising

It may have fallen out of use slightly with how Americanised some Halloween customs have become, but many in Scotland still go guising every year. Coming from the word disguising, it refers to the tradition of dressing up as spirits to remain safe from harm. The idea was that children would blend in with the wandering ghouls, going door to door to perform tricks or songs to receive gifts to help ward off evil. This custom is where the tradition of “trick-or-treating” originates from. | AFP via Getty Images

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One of the most important aspects of ancient Samhain celebrations was the lighting of a huge community fire following the harvest. As the most important of the Celtic fire festivals, celebrants would join Druid priests as they lit the bonfire which would entice people from all over the land to gather, dance and feast together, each taking home a flame to relight their home hearths.

4. Ancient Druids would light massive bonfires on Samhain

One of the most important aspects of ancient Samhain celebrations was the lighting of a huge community fire following the harvest. As the most important of the Celtic fire festivals, celebrants would join Druid priests as they lit the bonfire which would entice people from all over the land to gather, dance and feast together, each taking home a flame to relight their home hearths. | Getty Images

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