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. placeholder image
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 BST

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.

Black cats now serve as a novel symbol of Halloween, but their ties to Halloween can be traced back to Celtic mythology. It was believed that black cats, particularly those with a white patch on their chest, were the animal forms of witches. Also known as “Cait Sìth”, alongside carving neeps, people would often leave out gifts for the feline in the hopes of receiving its blessing.

5. Black cats representing witches can be traced back to Celtic myth

Black cats now serve as a novel symbol of Halloween, but their ties to Halloween can be traced back to Celtic mythology. It was believed that black cats, particularly those with a white patch on their chest, were the animal forms of witches. Also known as “Cait Sìth”, alongside carving neeps, people would often leave out gifts for the feline in the hopes of receiving its blessing. | pavel siamionov - stock.adobe.com

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In Scotland, dooking for apples has long been a Halloween tradition – so much so that it emerged as a Samhain tradition. Challenging players to take a bite of an apple which is floating in a basin of water without using your hands, there are a few possible origin stories for the Scottish custom. Some say it’s to do with the Romans and their worship of the goddess Pomona while others say it was used to help predict marriage, or as a sign of fertility.

6. The tradition of apple dookin’

In Scotland, dooking for apples has long been a Halloween tradition – so much so that it emerged as a Samhain tradition. Challenging players to take a bite of an apple which is floating in a basin of water without using your hands, there are a few possible origin stories for the Scottish custom. Some say it’s to do with the Romans and their worship of the goddess Pomona while others say it was used to help predict marriage, or as a sign of fertility. | Getty Images

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Alongside apple dookin’, which is also associated with fortune telling, people would burn nuts from hazel trees to gather wisdom. It was a Scottish Halloween tradition which saw young couples throw hazelnuts on the fire and listen to them burn. If they were quiet the couples would share a happy union, while those which hissed and crackled foretold a rocky future.

7. Couples would burn nuts to determine their future

Alongside apple dookin’, which is also associated with fortune telling, people would burn nuts from hazel trees to gather wisdom. It was a Scottish Halloween tradition which saw young couples throw hazelnuts on the fire and listen to them burn. If they were quiet the couples would share a happy union, while those which hissed and crackled foretold a rocky future. | Getty Images

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Vampires may be a popular Halloween costume, however it was the bat which came before the fangs. As a nocturnal animal, bats have a strong association with Halloween which can largely be attributed to Samhain and the bonfires which were lit during the festival. Bats would swarm the brightly lit area and, as insectivores, would eat all of the bugs and beasties.

8. Bats were a Halloween symbol even before Vampires

Vampires may be a popular Halloween costume, however it was the bat which came before the fangs. As a nocturnal animal, bats have a strong association with Halloween which can largely be attributed to Samhain and the bonfires which were lit during the festival. Bats would swarm the brightly lit area and, as insectivores, would eat all of the bugs and beasties. | Print Collector/Getty Images

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