Samhain Traditions: Food, Games, Bonfires and Old Halloween Customs

Samhain has long been a time to gather with family and friends, share food, play games, and tell stories. Some of the customs are still familiar today, while others have almost disappeared. From carving turnips to predicting who might marry next, Samhain and Halloween traditions were often playful, sometimes a little frightening, and occasionally quite strange.

Many of the best-known customs come from Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man, where Halloween was celebrated in homes and villages for generations. Although the festival is much older, most of the activities described here come from later folklore. They give us a good idea of how people spent Halloween evening and how some of those customs have found their way into modern celebrations.

Food and Feasting

Food played a big role in Halloween. The harvest was over, winter was approaching, and families would gather for a meal before spending the evening playing games. In Ireland, colcannon was a favourite. This was mashed potato mixed with cabbage or kale, sometimes with butter, onions or other additions. Boxty, a type of potato cake, was another dish eaten at this time of year.

Then there was báirín breac, or barmbrack, a fruit loaf with a surprise hidden inside. Finding a ring in your slice meant you’d get married. A coin promised money, while a rag was bad news, predicting poverty. Some families added other objects, including buttons and thimbles. In Scotland, people made fuarag, a mixture of toasted oats and whipped cream, with small objects hidden inside for much the same purpose.

On the Isle of Man, Hollantide gingerbread was another seasonal treat, enjoyed around Hop-tu-Naa, the Manx celebration of Halloween. Food and fortune-telling often went together, so the evening meal could easily become the beginning of the entertainment.

Apple Games and Fortune-Telling

People used apples for several Halloween games, and some are still played today. Apple bobbing involved filling a large basin with water, dropping in a few apples and trying to catch one using only your teeth. Players usually kept their hands behind their backs, making it considerably harder than it sounds. Another game was snap-apple, where an apple was hung from a string, sometimes attached to a rotating crosspiece, and players tried to bite it as it swung around.

Apples could also be used to predict the future. Someone would peel an apple in one long strip and throw the peel over their shoulder. If it landed in the shape of a letter, that was supposed to be the initial of the person they would marry. Marriage was a popular subject for Halloween fortune-telling, and people used plenty of other ways to see what the future might hold.

One custom was to place two nuts beside the fire, one for each person in a couple. If they burned quietly together, it was taken as a good sign. If one cracked or jumped away from the other, the relationship might be in for trouble. In Scotland, young people sometimes went into a field after dark and pulled a kale stalk from the ground without looking. The stalk’s size and shape were supposed to tell them something about their future husband or wife. Plenty of soil on the roots meant their future partner would be wealthy.

They also played games with bowls containing different objects. A blindfolded person would choose a bowl, and whatever they picked was supposed to reveal their future. A ring meant marriage, while other objects might predict money, travel or misfortune. These were often party games, although some people took the predictions more seriously than others.

Bonfires and Lanterns

In some places, Halloween meant building a large bonfire. Communities gathered around the flames, and in parts of Scotland, neighbours even competed to build the biggest fire. Bonfires were sometimes lit on hillsides where they could be seen from a distance. People also believed fire kept away ghosts and other unwanted visitors on nights when supernatural beings might be abroad.

Before pumpkins became popular, Halloween lanterns were carved from turnips. The turnip was hollowed out, a frightening face was cut into it, and a candle was placed inside. People carried these lanterns outdoors or left them in windows to frighten anyone passing by. In Scotland, carved turnips were known as tumshies. On the Isle of Man, children made turnip lanterns called moots and carried them around while singing Hop-tu-Naa songs.

Pumpkins eventually replaced turnips in North America because they were bigger and much easier to carve. Anyone who has tried hollowing out a turnip will probably understand why pumpkins caught on so quickly. Bonfires and lanterns are still familiar parts of Halloween, although many people now prefer candles, carved pumpkins or a small fire at home.

Dressing Up and Visiting Neighbours

Dressing up at Halloween is nothing new, although costumes were once much simpler. People used old clothes, masks, straw and whatever else they could find. Some disguises were deliberately frightening, while others were meant to keep neighbours from recognising the person underneath. In Scotland, children went guising, visiting houses in costume and performing a song, joke or rhyme in return for something to eat.

There were similar customs elsewhere. Children might receive apples, nuts, cakes or other small treats, and on the Isle of Man they carried their turnip lanterns from door to door while singing Hop-tu-Naa songs. Modern trick-or-treating shares much with these older traditions, although the costumes and treats have changed.

Halloween was also a night for mischief. Knocking on doors and running away was popular, as was moving things around to confuse neighbours. Some pranks were considerably more ambitious, including dismantling farm carts and putting them back together in unexpected places. Not everyone appreciated the joke, but the opportunity to get away with a little mischief was clearly part of the attraction.

Ghost Stories and Supernatural Visitors

Halloween was a favourite time for ghost stories. People told tales of strange encounters on lonely roads, mysterious figures seen after dark and fairies appearing near their usual haunts. Some stories were told for entertainment, while others reflected beliefs that people genuinely held about the dangers of travelling after dark.

In Irish folklore, the aos sí, or fairy folk, were believed to live in old mounds and forts. People were careful not to disturb these places, particularly at night, and some paths were avoided for fear of meeting the fairies. People also warned against travelling alone, especially on Halloween, when supernatural beings were thought to be particularly active.

In Wales, children were warned to be home before the Halloween bonfire went out. Otherwise, they might encounter Yr Hwch Ddu Gwta, a fearsome black sow without a tail. The warning was part of the folklore surrounding Nos Galan Gaeaf, the Welsh name for Halloween. Another figure said to appear that night was Ladi Wen, the White Lady.

Remembering the Dead and Protecting the Home

Halloween was also associated with the belief that deceased relatives might return to visit their old homes. Some families left food for them or kept a place at the table. Remembering the dead became part of the customs of the season, alongside the Christian observances of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.

Not every supernatural visitor was thought to be friendly, and people sometimes took precautions. In parts of Ireland, people placed small crosses made from wood or straw above doors to protect the household. People might sprinkle holy water around the home or farm buildings, and some places were best avoided after dark.

For many contemporary Pagans, remembering ancestors and loved ones is now one of the main ways of celebrating Samhain. Some light candles beside photographs or personal objects, while others prepare a favourite meal, share memories or spend a little time thinking about people who are no longer with them.

How People Celebrate Samhain Today

Modern Pagan celebrations of Samhain vary enormously. Some people hold formal rituals, while others prefer to mark the occasion quietly at home. Ancestor remembrance is common, as is lighting candles, making offerings or spending time reflecting on the year that has passed.

For others, Samhain is about the arrival of winter. They might take a walk to notice the changing landscape, finish work in the garden, prepare the home for colder weather or think about what they want to do during the coming months. Families often include activities such as baking, pumpkin carving, autumn crafts and storytelling. Traditional games can be brought back too, although it is probably best to keep the fortune-telling objects out of anything children might accidentally swallow.

Not every activity needs a religious meaning. Sharing a meal, making something together or telling stories around a fire can be part of the celebration. Many of the things people once did at Halloween are easy to try today, and some may become new family traditions.

Bringing Old Traditions into the Present

A homemade barmbrack, a carved turnip, an evening of apple games or a few ghost stories can bring some of the older customs back into the home. Other activities, particularly ancestor remembrance and seasonal reflection, may be more personal.

Whether Samhain is celebrated as a religious festival, a family occasion, or simply a chance to enjoy old Halloween traditions, plenty of customs are worth exploring. Some have survived almost unchanged, while others can be adapted to suit the people celebrating them today.