It’s getting to that time of year when the nights are drawing in, and there is a chill in the air. The turning of the seasons has been traditionally celebrated in all cultures throughout the centuries, to give thanks to God for his harvest, and to prepare for the colder and darker days which lie ahead.
One autumn tradition which remains very much alive today is that of Halloween. It is often thought to be an American custom, because our friends across the pond have firmly embraced all the ghosts and ghouls, dressing up, trick and treating, and pumpkin carving which goes with the 31st of October.
However, the roots of Halloween are not American, but can be traced to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which has become incorporated into the Christian celebration of All Saints Day, also known as All Hallows, on 1 November.
This is followed by All Souls’ Day on 2 November, a religious day to honour the dead. The day before All Hallows, 31 October, became known as All Hallows Eve, which over time has become shortened to Halloween.
Ancient cultures believed that All Hallows Eve was a time when the boundaries between the world of the living and the spirit world were at the thinnest, and ghosts and evil spirits could slip between the fault lines. In Wales, this time of year is known as Noson Galan Gaeaf, which translates as ‘Welsh Winter’s Eve.’
Noson Galan Gaeaf is associated with some local traditions, some of which are now universal, such as lighting fires and lanterns to ward off the dark, and any lurking evil spirits. The lanterns were improvised by hollowing out turnips and placing a lit candle inside; a tradition very much still alive with the pumpkin carving of today.
Some of the Welsh traditions involved making predictions for the future, the BBC explains. For example, single ladies would throw a peeled apple skin over their shoulder. The shape it landed in was said to reveal the first initial of the man they would eventually marry. It sounds as though that might have been open to interpretation!
Another more sombre form of this was known as coelcerth. Local people would write their name on a stone, and place it in a bonfire, known in Wales as a coelcerth. They then returned to the ashes of the fire the next morning, and anyone who could not find their stone was said to be doomed to an early death. Why they wanted to know is a mystery!
A legendary creature of the night was known as ‘Hwch Ddu Gwta’ which translates as ‘The Tailless Black Sow’. Rumour had it that this fabled creature would roam at night with a headless white lady, terrifying anybody who crossed its path.
Sometimes, a local would dress up in a pigskin to chase children home from the bonfire. This was intended to keep families safe at home on a night when there was a lot of fear and superstition in the air. Whatever your views about modern Halloween, it’s certainly interesting to learn how the customs have evolved over time.
To celebrate happier occasions, the giving of Welsh love spoons is also an old tradition which is still very much alive today.