Double, double, toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble…
It is October, and that can mean only one thing – Halloween is right around the corner. It is a time that holds great memories for so many of us – an excuse to dress up in costume, and knock on stranger’s doors only to be rewarded with tasty treats – and hopefully not terrible tricks!
Halloween is a firm favourite for children, and it is the games, the fun, the sweets and the costumes which make it so memorable. Halloween, or Hallowed Evening, of course, has its roots in Pagan traditions. In Ireland too, Halloween has so much more gravitas as a cultural and historical phenomenon, with different rites ceremonies and rituals which have been passed down from generation to generation.
This may include lighting candles in windows to guide the spirits into the next world, baking barm brack (and fighting to be the first to find the hidden ring!), carving pumpkins or digging for tinfoil wrapped coins buried deep inside the col cannon mash. And who could forget apple bobbing!
However nowadays we are somewhat more familiar with the more commercial side of Halloween, and the yearly dressing up seems to have taken over as the most eagerly anticipated element of the celebration, and I was no different growing up. When I was younger, between the Harry Potter movies and the tv series The Worst Witch, I think there may have been only two years where I didn’t don the pointy hat on October 31st.
I remember the excitement in school of talking with friends, debating and discussing what we would be going as that year, and sharing tips on the best routes to maximise chocolate collection. I remember, too, that there was one house in my local town in Meath that always put on a fantastic show at Halloween, with lights, decorations, stuffed figures and creepy creaking, screaming and wailing blasted from large speakers. We would always be so afraid to ring the doorbell, not sure if the figures were people dressed in costume or just fake, fearing that they would jump out at us if we got too close!
It is the spookiest season of the year and I can already feel the witchy thrill in the air… Maybe you are digging out your pointed hat and dusting off your broomsticks already?
We would love to hear from you, to see images from your Halloweens past, how you used to dress up and what you remember about your trick or treating days. We would also love to hear from children far and wide – what are you dressing up as this year? What are you most excited for? And finally, a big question of heavy debate – what is the best possible treat to get in your bag this October 31st?
Send us your stories, snaps and spooky tales at community@museumofchildhood.ie, or on any of our social media sites: Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. We would love to hear from you!
Oíche Shamhna Shona Daoibh!