Guestling Bradshaw CE Primary School

By 43 CE the Roman Empire had conquered most of the Celtic regions. In the following 400 years two Roman festivals became incorporated with Samhain. The first was Feralia - a day in late October when the Romans commemorated the passing of the dead, and the second was a day to honour Pomona the Roman goddess of fruit and trees.

An apple is the symbol of Pomona, so this could be the origin of the tradition of bobbing for apples: whoever bit into an apple first would be married first the next year.

By the 800s Christianity had spread into Celtic lands.

In the early 7th Century Pope Boniface IV consecrated the Pantheon in Rome as a Roman Catholic Church dedicated to Saint Mary and the Martyrs, and ordered that that date (May 13) should be celebrated every year. It became All Saints' Day, a day to honour all the saints, and later a day specially to honour those saints who didn't have a festival day of their own.

In the 8th century Pope Gregory III moved the date to November 1st when he dedicated a chapel to all the saints in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Gregory IV made the festival universal throughout the Church. The date may have been deliberately chosen to provide a Christian alternative to the Pagan holiday.

Instead of fearing evil and worrying about the future, All Saints provided a time when the achievements of the saints could be remembered and the triumph of goodness re-asserted.

With their pumpkin-lanterns and witch costumes, many children will be out ‘celebrating’ Hallowe'en. While it was derived originally from an ancient Pagan festival, it has become part of our culture.

Literally, of course, it is the eve of All Hallows - a preparation for the observance the following day of the Feast of All Hallows or All Saints. That feast gives the assurance that there is something beyond our life here on this earth. It brings us a comforting reminder of our continuing existence - it's a promise endorsed by Jesus when he spoke of the many mansions that God has prepared for us – and it reminds us that God's love stretches far beyond death.

Rob Taylor, a full time youth worker and father of three, tells us what he thinks about Halloween and how it should be celebrated:

 “I like anything that brings young people and families together. What is good about Halloween is it can do that. I think ultimately there is a struggle between the light and the darkness, good and evil. Halloween in my eyes leans towards the dark rather than the light.

I have three children, the oldest is now six. I don't think I will take them out trick 'n' treating when they are older. I will do something that is a treat for them on Halloween and will say, “We're not going to do this because... but we'll do this instead.”

What I think is good about Halloween is it can be used as a quality family night. I don't think it necessarily corrupts children into witchcraft and the occult, although it could. It's like Harry Potter: some Christians went bonkers about it and wouldn't let their children watch it. I don't think that's good because they're then alienated from all their classmates, who think Christians are geeks at the best of times. I think people should go and see Harry Potter with their kids and then discuss it.

What I like least about Halloween is the little amount of effort that goes into the costumes. It's like Carol Singing. A kid will expect to press your doorbell, chunter for 20 seconds and then get a pound. That's so far removed from what Carol Singing used to be. When I used to go out for Halloween as a kid we used to put in loads of effort for the costumes. We'd have a good laugh, we were doing it for the money but we were having a good time too. Now the kids put a bin liner round their shoulders and the lack of effort removes the fun from it; it is like having an excuse for begging.

I also don't like to see little kids out at night without any supervision wandering from door to door; it's dangerous.

Some churches do 'Bright and Light' parties as an alternative to Halloween. I think that's okay but I think the church should organise more parties - why just have one on Halloween?”

If you do decide to go out ‘trick or treating’, here are some tips for staying safe:

1. Always travel in groups on Halloween. Never travel alone, try to stick to reasonable sized groups and stay with the crowd.

2. It’s a good idea to take a responsible adult with you if you decide to go 'trick or treating' but if not then always tell a parent or guardian where you will be and when you will be back.

3. Make a route around familiar well-lit areas only and stick to it.

4. Take a mobile phone and some change for a pay phone in case of emergency.

5. Carry a torch with you at all times and try to stick to busy areas or main roads.

6. Never enter a stranger's house to 'trick or treat'. Stay on the doorstep.

7. Take care when crossing roads. Beware of costumes that are all black and if in doubt wear some reflective patches or carry lit pumpkins or torches.

8. Make sure your costumes are not too long and there is nothing you will trip over.

9. Masks may obscure your visibility, be careful when crossing roads and be aware of where you are.

10. Be careful what you get yourself into if 'tricking'. Tricks can go wrong, people can be aggressive and destructive tricks will land you in a lot of trouble. Be sensible.

Why not organise an event as an alternative to a Halloween party? Instead of grotesque costumes, go for fancy dress with a fun theme. Offer treats instead of tricks. Whether it’s a party, disco or social, offer a positive alternative to Halloween events.

Or instead of making a lantern, why not use a pumpkin to try one of our delicious recipes. Don't attempt any cooking without the permission of an adult.

You will need:

This is what you do:

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Chop the onion, carrot and celery and fry lightly.

2. Chop the pumpkin flesh into 1”/2.5cm cubes and add to the pan. Cover the pan and allow the vegetables to sweat over a low heat for about 5 minutes.

3. Add the stock, sugar and tomato purée. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

4. Allow to cool slightly, and pour into a food processor or blender and process until smooth.

5. Return to the pan and add nutmeg and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

6. Reheat gently and serve piping hot with a swirl of fresh cream if desired. Serves 8-10

You will need:

This is what you do:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180^oC/350^oF/Gas 4. Use a ready-made unbaked sweet crust pastry case, about 9 inch/23 cm diameter and 1½ inches/4 cm deep - or make one of your own.

2. Chop the pumpkin into 1”/2.5 cm chunks and steam until soft. Place in a coarse sieve and press lightly to extract any excess water.

3. Lightly whisk the eggs and extra yolk together in a large bowl.

4. Place the sugar, spices and the cream in a pan and bring to simmering point, stirring to mix. Pour the cream over the eggs and whisk briefly. Add the pumpkin purée, still whisking to combine everything thoroughly.

5. Pour the filling into the pastry case and bake for 35-40 minutes, by which time it will puff up round the edges but still feel slightly soft in the centre.

6. Remove the pie from the oven and place the tin on a wire cooling rack. Serve, either warm or chilled, with softly whipped cream or crème fraiche. Serves 8-10