Club member Roderick Skinner produced a light-hearted yet interesting talk at the 28th October meeting of Anstruther Rotary Club. He took as his subject ‘Halloween’ and we heard something of the early history of the ancient Celtic end-of-Summer festival of Samhain, through to today’s American-inspired ‘Trick or Treat’

Roderick’s reminiscences took us via Halloween parties organised by the Sunday school, dooking for apples, the chance to win a trinket – or even a silver threepenny piece (and who now remembers those!) And of the great advantage of pumpkins over neeps for the essential tumshie lanterns. 

In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1st as a time to honour all saints and martyrs; the holiday, All Saints’ Day, incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before was known as All Hallows’ Eve and later Halloween. Superstitions about ghosts and witches led to Rowan twigs and salt being used at doorways to ward off evil spirits and of people only venturing out disguised in costumes or fancy dress to avoid being recognised – today’s ‘guising’ perhaps.

The tradition of dressing in costume for Halloween has both European and Celtic roots from a time when winter was uncertain and frightening. Food often ran low and, for the many people afraid of the dark, the short days of winter were full of constant worry. At Halloween it was believed that ghosts came back to the earthly world and people thought that they would encounter ghosts if they left their homes. To keep ghosts away from their houses, people would place bowls of food outside their homes to appease the ghosts and prevent them from attempting to enter.

No doubt with these suitably spine tingling thought in mind, club member George Lyon proposed a vote of thanks for a most entertaining talk.