Every 31st October, the UK transforms into a nation of ghouls, witches, and people who've raided the fancy dress shop at the last minute. But how did Brits become so enthusiastic about carving vegetables and politely requesting sweets from neighbours?
The Ancient Roots
Halloween's origins stretch back over 2,000 years to the Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced "sow-in," not "sam-hane" – we got that wrong for years too). The Celts, who lived in what's now Ireland, the UK, and northern France, believed that on 31st October, the boundary between the living and the dead became blurred. It's almost like a toned-down verson of Día de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead).
The Celts lit bonfires and wore costumes to ward off ghosts. So really, your neighbours children dressed in bin bags with eye holes are participating in an ancient tradition. When Christianity spread through Celtic lands, the night before All Saints' Day (1st November) became All Hallows' Eve, later shortened to Halloween.
Modern British Halloween
Today's UK Halloween is a delightful mishmash of ancient tradition, American influence, and British awkwardness. Here's what you can expect:
Trick-or-Treating: Children roam the streets in costumes, knocking on doors and politely threatening neighbours with unspecified "tricks" if sweets aren't forthcoming. Don't worry, when asked "trick or treat" but your costumed visitor, there are no tricks as such - the secret is to say "treat" and give your visitor a small handful of sweets or something similar.
There are three levels of involvement:
Level one is that you answer the door and give some treats, enjoying the fabulous outfits created by some of the families.
Level two is that you leave a small bowl of sweets outside your front door – in this case the children take a handful of sweets but don't bother you.
The third is not to get involved - you can get stickers that say "please do not disturb us on Halloween" which can be popular with the elderly who may not want to take part. The other option is to display no Halloween decorations – although people may still knock on your door. Generally speaking, having decorations on display indicates he would like to take part in the festivities.
Pumpkin Carving: We've abandoned our traditional turnips (which were genuinely terrifying to carve – have you ever tried to hollow out a turnip?) in favour of American pumpkins. Though to be fair, after wrestling with a turnip, pumpkins feel like carving butter. Also, pumpkin carving becomes pretty competitive. Why not start your own household tradition by attempting to beat your loved ones with the most impressive faces?
Costume Parties: Adults use Halloween as an excuse to dress up and socialise. Expect to see some great outfits from cats to zombies, and a few people who can't be bothered dressing up but have "come as themselves on a night out" and insist it's terrifying enough.
Haunted Attractions: From ghost tours in York to scare mazes across the country, Britain's centuries of history provide excellent haunted house material. We've got castles, dungeons, plague pits – we're spoiled for spooky, really.
Apple Bobbing: This traditional game involves trying to catch apples with your teeth from a bucket of water, which in a post-pandemic world feels wildly unhygienic. But it's tradition!
Pumpkin Patches: Perhaps the most wholesome addition to British Halloween culture, pumpkin patches have exploded in popularity over the past decade. Every October half-term, families descend upon farms across the country to pick their perfect pumpkin straight from the field. What started as a few enterprising farmers has become a full-blown tradition, with patches offering everything from tractor rides and corn mazes to hot chocolate stands and "Instagram-worthy" hay bale displays.
It's become the ultimate family day out – muddy wellies mandatory, overpriced entry fee grudgingly accepted, and at least one child having a meltdown because their sibling's pumpkin is "better."
Despite the chaos, these patches have genuinely captured something special: that sense of seasonal tradition and wholesome autumn fun. Plus, picking your own pumpkin feels infinitely more authentic than grabbing one from the Tesco car park, even if it costs three times as much.
The Bottom Line
Halloween combines ancient Celtic traditions with modern commercial enthusiasm. It's one night a year when it's perfectly acceptable to eat your body weight in chocolate, pretend to be scared of things, and dress your dog as a spider (the dogs are never amused, but we persist).
Enjoy it, get involved and don't forget to show us your photos!
Happy Halloween, you spooky lot! 🎃👻
