HOW DID IT ALL HAPPEN?

Ask most people about Halloween and they'll say "Oh, that's American, isn't it?" This couldn't be further from the historical truth though it is true that Halloween is very popular on the other side of the Atlantic and in recent times more so than Britain.

Perhaps we Brits have forgotten our past since it all started here many of hundreds of years ago (or perhaps we just got confused and celebrated Bonfire Night instead - but, wait a minute, the tradition of lighting bonfires comes from Halloween too!)

So where do we start? Some remember the Christian festival of Holy Evening, the eve before All Saints Day but in truth this day owes more to Celtic Pagan ritual and the festival of Samhain which marked the end of summer.

This was a magical time when supernatural forces were in abundance and the pagan gods walked amongst mortals and the spirits of the dead returned to visit their earthly homes.

It was also a time of divination when predictions for the future - a husband or wife to be - were made and all this was some 1000 years even before Halloween was incorporated into the Christian calendar in 998 AD as All Souls Eve.

On this night, families would maintain an all night vigil and eat little cakes known as Soul Cakes.

Children would venture out and about knocking on doors and 'souling' - singing songs for cakes or money. It is from this practice that the concept of Trick or Treat has developed.

Indeed many of the current habits associated with Halloween have their roots firmly in the past and are associated with the seasonality of the occasion - apple ducking, for example, since this is the time for windfall apples.

Halloween was commonly celebrated in this country well into the last century. William Horne notes in is enigmatic book "The Every Day Book Or Guide To The Year" written in 1824 that the "meetings on Hallowe-eve are becoming pleasant merry-makings; the dance prevails till supper-time, when they take a cheerful glass and drink to the next happy meeting".

So where does the concept of carving faces into pumpkins and illuminating them with candles come from?

Some say that the candles were there to guide the dead who were returning for this night and that the candles were placed in hollowed out pumpkins (or turnips in Scotland) to subdue the light and reflect the mellowness of the season.

Others maintain that the fierce and scary faces were carved to ward off the demons and other supernatural spirits.

Whatever, carving pumpkins is great fun and rest assured Halloween belongs as much, if not more, to the British as it does to anybody.