Guy Fawkes

Where did Hallowe'en and Bonfire Night come from?

For myself, I can’t help but feel there is a deep-seated need in the human psyche to recognise the turning of the year. “Trick or treat” has echoes of the Scottish tradition of “guised” children visiting houses to be rewarded with treats, but the trick part became particularly unkind in early-20th century America. Early Christians recognised the value of replacing the reason for celebrating – the ‘why’ – while retaining the ‘when’ and much of the ‘how’. [Hallowe’en is Christian – a shortening of All Hallows’ Eve, the celebration of all the saints, especially those lacking their own day. Ireland wanted no part in celebrating the failure of a Catholic plot, and continued their Hallowe’en traditions. So, the animal bones were burnt in great bonefires and children disguised so they would not be taken. Meanwhile, the nights became longer than the days and the veil between the worlds seemed thinner. And all of November was dedicated to the dead, who would rise to warm their cold bones by the fires of the living. Falling conveniently close to Hallowe’en and marked by similar festivities, Bonfire Night supplanted Hallowe’en celebrations in England and Wales. On All Hallows Eve the gates of hell opened and spewed out the samhanach to drag down unwary travellers to their doom. And as they cowered in their beds, they would try to ignore the sounds from downstairs. Children would stuff old clothes with straw and various vegetables would be pressed into service for the head.