Halloween is a major commercial holiday often associated with the USA. But the global costume, confectionary and film industries really have us to thank for the annual upswing in profits this time of year brings them.
While many countries and cultures around the world celebrate some version of All Saints/Day of the Dead, much of modern America's Halloween festivities stem from the Celtic harvest holiday of Samhain.
Hollywood often fails to join the dots between Halloween and "Sam-hayne", but if it wasn't for Irish and Scottish immigrants bringing ancient traditions across the Atlantic, there'd be no Hocus Pocus, Halloweentown or Michael Myers.
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Here in Northern Ireland, we get the added brag of being home to the world's Halloween capital. Even Michael Myers' foe herself, Jamie Lee Curtis, has acknowledged Derry's undefeated festivities.
While the likes of fancy dress, trick-or-treating and carving Jack O'Lanterns have caught on elsewhere, some age-old traditions remain unique to our wee corner of the world. Here's a list of things you'll likely remember from your childhood Halloweens.
Bin bag costumes
Forget cowboy hats, toy weaponry or whatever other fancy bits and bobs kids wear now. Back in our day, a black bin liner was this season's hottest accessory.
Dressing up originally began as a way for the pagans of Old Ireland to disguise themselves from evil spirits at Samhain. We're not entirely sure the bin bag and green face paint our mas put us in as "witches" or whatever else would've convinced said spirits to pass us on, but how and ever.
Firework disasters
There were always stories that someone's da knew someone who got their hands on illegal fireworks and would be putting on an amateur display, and your ma would warn you off them by telling you she heard of a lad who blew his own hand off acting the maggot. We'll stick with the more official Derry display, ta...
Losing a tooth to an apple
Bobbing for apples and biting at a swinging apple were great craic on Halloween. Yet while there were coins to be won, there were teeth to be lost.
It wasn't unusual for a swinging apple to knock a baby tooth out, or for an already loose tooth to get stuck in an apple. On the bright side, this was an opportunity to make money off the tooth fairy - provided you didn't swallow the tooth.
That one neighbour who didn't deliver the goods
The tradition of guising or trick-or-treating on Halloween is centuries-old, stemming from a time when the poverty-stricken would turn up to people's doors and sing or recite a poem in exchange for food. You'd think, then, that we'd be grateful for whatever we got while doing the rounds.
But the concept of being fortunate for what you have is lost on young kids who don't know any better. That's why we were always ragin' when that one neighbour would give us monkey nuts or fruit instead of the sweeties we craved.
Nearly choking on colcannon or barmbrack
The traditional Halloween dishes of colcannon (curly kale, onion and mash) and barmbrack/bairín breac (bread containing sultanas and raisins) were another gain-loss gamble. In your colcannon, you might find a tinfoil-wrapped coin, and you might find a ring in your barmbrack.
Both were generally said to bring good fortune. But that's assuming you didn't choke or break your tooth on a bite.
What ther memories do you have of your childhood Halloweens? Let us know in the comments below.
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