Transcript HALLOWE’EN - Scoil Ursula N.S.

HALLOWE’EN
OÍCHE SHAMHNA
P.O’SHEA
• ‘Samhain’ is the old
Origins
Of
Hallowe’en
Irish word which
means the end of
summer. It marked
the end of the
harvest and the
beginning of the
cold, dark, winter
season.
The
OTHERWORLD
• Samhain was seen as a
time when the 'door' to
the otherworld opened
enough for the souls of
the dead and other
beings to come into our
world. The souls of the
dead were said to
revisit their homes on
Samhain.
All
Hallow’s
Eve
• Hallowe’en is also thought
to have been influenced by
the Christian holy day
of ’All Saint’s Day’ This
was the 1st of November
(also known as All Hallows
Evening). ‘’Hallow’ is an old
English word for holy. ’Eve’
is short for evening. ‘All
Hallow’s Eve gives us
‘Hallowe’en’ - A time for
praying for all the dead.
DRESSING
UP
• Because it was believed
that ghosts etc could
come back to visit the
earth on Hallowe’en,
people started to
disguise themselves so
that they wouldn’t be
recognised. This led to
one of the customs of
the season, dressing up
and disguising oneself.
Nowadays people buy
costumes.
Other
customs
• When children dress up
they go around from
house to house. This is
called ‘Trick or
Treating’. They ask for
a small treat and if they
don’t get it they will
play a trick on the
people at the door.
Treats used to be fruit,
nuts and apples. Now
they are sweets and
crisps.
Games
at
home
• At home, people play
different games. One
of these is ‘bobbing for
apples’, where apples are
floating in a bowl of
water and children have
to catch them in their
mouths, but their hands
are tied behind their
backs. Try it……it’s
difficult.
Food
• In Ireland, one of the
special things we eat at
Hallowe’en is Barm Brack.
This is a fruit bread. In
the cake is a ring or,
sometimes, a coin. If you
find the ring it means you
will get married within
the year!!.
• Pumpkin is also popular at
this time. It may be made
in a pie or a soup.
America
• In America, people celebrate
Hallowe’en in a big way. When
Irish emigrants went to
America in the 19th century
they brought Hallowe’en and
the customs with them.
Americans adapted the
customs and made them their
own.
• Nowadays the decorations
and costumes are beautiful
and colourful.
HAPPY
HALLOWE’EN!