• Halloween takes place on 31 October.

• It means the eve or evening before HALLOW.

• The word ‘HALLOW’ is an old English word for ‘saint’.

• The next day, 1st November, is ALL SAINTS DAY, when people give thanks for the life of saints.

• In 837 the name Halloween was changed to ALL HALLOWS EVE or ALL SAINTS EVE.

• The original reason for celebrating Halloween is not really known.

• Some people believed that ghosts and evil spirits walked the earth on that day.

• It may have been a special day to celebrate before winter began.

• Children took part because some people believed that the evil spirits and ghosts could not be seen. Children dressed like them and played their tricks for them.

• Pumpkins stand for harvest time and the candles in them the sun.

• Apples and nuts, which can be picked at this time of year, are traditional Halloween food.

• These apples and nuts appear in several old children’s games, such as catching apples hanging on a string or floating on water.

• A hundred years ago children used to visit people’s home to scare them with lanterns made of turnips or swedes. The lanterns were covered with people’s faces.