Page 138 - NT 2022 Almanac

31st October All Saints’ Eve
This is a Christian festival also known as All Hallows’ Eve, Hallowed Evening or Holy Evening, which is how we get the name Halloween! On the evening of 31st October, some Christians begin three days of ceremonies and services to remember loved ones who have died and the saints (‘hallowed’ or holy people). It is traditional to light candles for those who have died and to spend time praying and remembering them.
31st October Halloween
Nowadays, we associate Halloween with fun and games and dressing-up. But in fact, as far back as the 16th century, people
had parties on 31st October, playing games and practising rituals to try and tell the future, especially about deaths or marriages in the family. This is where the game of apple-bobbing comes from. It used to be thought that the first person to bite into an apple would be the first person to get married!
Before pumpkins were brought over from America, people would use turnips or other root vegetables to make lanterns. These were carved with ugly faces in the
hope that they would scare away evil spirits.
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