A trail of ghost children passing the road, the sight of a shining woman in the middle of the road are just some of the strange tales about the haunted stretch of road close to a military base in Andalucía.
Over the course of 19 years people claimed to see strange apparition on the stretch of road from Seville to Moron de la Frontera in Andalucía. It was built to connect the towns of Arahal, Utrera, Montellano and the Moron air base and strange things are said to happen here in the dead of the night.
Read more: Check out all of our ghost stories from Spain
There is not only one ghost story connected to this place, but several. And the ghost stories told about this place is not even the strangest thing told about this stretch of road.
The Ghost of Children Crossing the Road
Some of the strange apparition seen along this road is what appears to be the ghosts of school children.
Drivers along this road saw lines of children wearing what looked like school uniforms as they were crossing the road while holding hands before they suddenly vanished into thin air.
This was told by 4 young people in a car when one night 20 years ago a man jumped out from the ditch and stopped the traffic in the middle of the night by standing in the middle of the road to let the ghost children pass.
Read more: Check out all of our ghost stories from Haunted Roads all around the world.
A line of children, boys and girls holding hands dressed in their school uniforms appeared. They crossed the road and disappeared without a trace.
If there have been a particular accident involving young school children that ended their life in a car accident is unclear. However, the legend about the ghost children crossing the road had been told for years now and has cemented itself as a part of the road lore.
There has been talk that it used to be a rural school in the place a long time ago, but what happened to it, no one really knows.
The Shining Woman in the Middle of the Road
Another ghost legend told about the place is what appears like the ghost of a woman. She is said to be appearing in the middle of the road who shines so bright that they first think she is some sort of traffic signal.
One of the witnesses of this strange thing was seen by Pedro Luque and his wife when they came driving on this road. It was dark and winter and when they approached what they thought was a traffic signal, they realized it was a woman.
He described her as at least 50 years old tall and skinny, with a serious look on her face like she was scared.
They didn’t stop for her, but when they passed her on the road and looked in the rearview mirror, she was gone.
Whether this is some sort of classical vanishing hitchhiker story is likely, but it could also pass as some of the more strange rumors going on about this road.
UFO’s and Humanoid Figures Close to the Military Base
As mentioned earlier, ghost stories are far from the strangest things people talk about when talking about this road. There have also been talks about seeing UFOs and other otherworldly things here.
Even the military have taken action to investigate the strange things that seemingly keep happening here.
A fair point about the strange things happening around these parts have been attributed to the proximity to the military base, especially since it is close to the base of the secretive Spanish air force in Moron.
In the quaint Saligao Village in Goa, there is a Banyan Tree by the road. According to legend, the tree is haunted by the ghost of Cristalina, waiting for those passing by to possess.
One Sunday morning in January in 1953, the villagers of Saligao in Goa, India, sat waiting on the priest leading the mass.
The missionary Padre Inácio Lourenço Pereira had come to this quaint little village from Portugal in 1951 to be the supervisor when the Saligao-Pilerne Seminary went under construction in 1952. The Saligao village is around 15 kilometers outside of Panaji known for its beautiful churches.
Pereira was at least said to have gone missing under mysterious circumstances on a Saturday night in January, 1953 when he went for a walk down the Seminary road that took him past the banyan tree at night.
This particular banyan tree in Saligao Village with its deep roots casting long shadows was known to be haunted though, by a woman named Cristalina, and avoided by the locals. But did Pereira know this as he used to walk past it to get to church?
He didn’t return that night and didn’t show up for mass the next morning. When Pereira was eventually found by some workers the next morning, it was under this banyan tree where he lay unconscious. When his helping hand, Frank and the other workers that looked for him found him, he laid flat on the ground, his face buried in the mud.
Pereira was in a state of shock when he finally woke up, covered in scratches and wounds, unable to recall the full details of his ordeal.
The locals of Saligao Village took him to a doctor, or at least his house, but he didn’t speak for four days. They even brought a priest to take care of him and Frank and the other workers attached a cross in one of the Banyan Trees branches.
When he first started to speak, it was said it was in a female voice and in Konkani, one of the Indian languages spoken along the western coast of India. One of the things he repeated over and over again, was the name, Cristalina.
After the whole ordeal he was admitted to a hospital and then sent back to Leiria in Portugal in 1953. He never returned to Saligao Village or Goa, but his legend certainly remained there.
Cristalina Haunting the Banyan Tree
For over sixty years, her spectral presence has been associated with a particular banyan tree in the Saligao Village. It is said that still to this day, people are avoiding walking past this tree after dark, as it is said that Cristalina can possess you, as she once did.
From testimonies from locals, it looks like the banyan tree was already rumored to be haunted by the ghost of Cristalina before the possession of the priest. But how much of it actually happened, and how much of it was gossip and fear mongering from the locals?
Who actually was Cristalina? One of the most told versions of the Banyan tree is that she hanged herself from it. But no further details about who she might be has been found.
Further Haunting of Cristalina’s Banyan Tree
It was especially when the horizontal part of the cross went missing from the branches in the tree that the legend resurfaced and breathed new wind into it as something more than a one time haunting. Ever since then it has become a local legend in Saligao Village.
There have also been talks about the tree glowing in the dark, and the tree itself has been the case of scientific studies. What really happened to it? According to the scholars, they claimed the lights were from carts of petromax lights that were parked near the tree.
Banyan Tree and why they are Haunted
But what about the tree found in Saligao Village? How come so many ghost stories are connected to the majestic looking Banyan Trees as well as Peepal Trees in India?
For one, they have spiritual connection with mythology, both Hindu and Buddhist, and are seen as sort of divine places. There are also many legends attached to the old trees with its twisting branches, often found in secluded areas
One popular legend is that you are not supposed to sit under one of these trees at night because ghosts and other supernatural things live there.
It is also worth noting the scientific reason for the spiritual things that are said to happen when staying at one of these trees at night and that it can be explained by simple biology. During the day the tree absorbs carbon dioxide and releases oxygen because of the sun. During night however, it releases the carbon dioxide that lowers the levels of oxygen human needs to breathe.
This process can feel suffocating, lead to hallucinations, and in worst case scenarios, even death. Could this be the reason why there are so many stories connected to seeing ghosts, hearing voices and even reaching some sort of enlightenment? Could this have a connection to what happened to Padre Inácio Lourenço Pereira?
The Haunted Saligao Village
The eerie tales of Saligao Village have made it a point of interest for paranormal enthusiasts and curious tourists. Despite the fearsome stories, the Saligao Village remains a beautiful example of Goan heritage, with its well-preserved churches and traditional houses.
The Cristalina Banyan Tree: The haunted tree in the Saligao Village is now a very known landmark. // Photo by Frederick Noronha (FN)
Visitors to Saligao often report strange occurrences near the banyan tree. Some have felt an inexplicable chill in the air, while others have heard whispers and seen fleeting shadows.
The locals practicing both various Hindi and Christian rituals have tried to appease the ghost of Cristalina by having built a small altar where they offer gifts to her. According to the Hindu villagers living close to this haunted tree, they call the spirit, Ximecho Devchar or Boundary Devil.
In splendid colors and festive celebration the Día de los Muertos in Mexico welcomes the dead with a party and a smile. But how did it originate and how does it differ from the Halloween celebration from its neighboring country?
Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, is a vibrant and deeply spiritual celebration with roots in ancient Mesoamerican traditions. Most will preface this with saying that this is not the Mexican version of Halloween from the United States, although the celebrations do share similarities and also how it originated.
It is a time when the veil between the world of the living and the dead is said to thin, allowing families to reunite with their departed loved ones. Far from a mournful event, Día de los Muertos honors death as a natural part of life, celebrating the memories and spirits of the dead with offerings, altars, and joyful gatherings. The part of it being a humorous and fun aspect often sets it apart from other celebration focusing on death and the dead.
The Origins of Día de los Muertos : From Mesoamerica to Modern Mexico
Today, the Día de los Muertos celebration is an old one, but just how old is still debated. Some argue that it have its origins in ancient pre-Hispanic traditions, particularly among the Aztecs and other indigenous civilizations as well as the Roman Catholics and the European Danse Macabre imagery.
Mictēcacihuātl: A drawing of Mictlancihuatl, one of the deities described in the Codex Borgia. She was the goddess of the dead and the underworld and today an imagery for those honoring the Aztec heritage during Día de los Muertos.
Some claim that close to all traditions could be traced back to medieval Europe and to the time when the Spanish Conquistadors colonized the land. They argued that what would be mistaken as indigenous traditions on the countryside was simply an archaic Spanish tradition from the early days of the conquest. Some would argue it is rather a Spanish tradition born out of Mexican nationalism to express themselves through this Aztec identity to remove themselves from Spain after independence.
But did the Aztec indigenous have a similar celebration? After all, a harvest celebration during the fall is a very global thing and could have existed parallel with others. These ancient peoples believed in the cyclical nature of life and death, viewing death not as an end but as a part of the journey of the soul.
The closest celebration is perhaps the Quecholli is the name of the fourteenth month of the Aztec calendar and was between October 20 and November 8 where the hunting deity Mixcoatl was central as it was hunting season. It had a similar tradition of placing food on altars close to the burial grounds of fallen warriors to help them reach the afterlife. It was a huge feasting time and they would also dress up as the deity as well as sacrificing a man and a woman to him at his temple.
The goddess Mictēcacihuātl, Queen of the Underworld, played a central role in ceremonies honoring the dead. She was often represented with a crown of skull and flowers, and people would often give offers to her in order to help the dead reach Mictlán.
Altars and Ofrendas: Welcoming the Spirits
At the heart of Día de los Muertos is the creation of altars, or ofrendas (offerings), that serve as a beacon for the spirits of deceased family members. These altars are elaborately decorated with candles, flowers, photos, and personal mementos of the deceased. Every ofrenda also includes the four elements: water, wind, earth and fire. A drink (water) for their thirst, food (earth) for their hunger and candles (fire). It is believed that the light from the candles guides the souls back to the world of the living, allowing them to briefly visit their families.
The big and adorned alters is a central part of the Día de los Muertos celebrations.
The altars often feature marigolds—known as cempasúchil—whose bright orange color and distinctive fragrance are thought to attract the souls of the dead and are often called Flor de Muerto or the Flower of Dead. It is often planted in cemeteries and in Honduras the flower is also used to wash corpses.
Sugar skulls, pan de muerto (a special bread made for the occasion), and favorite foods of the deceased are also placed on the ofrendas, as offerings meant to nourish and comfort the visiting spirits.
Each element of the altar has symbolic meaning and is different in different regions. The papel picado in Michoacan, intricately cut paper banners, represents the fragility of life, while the salt helps purify the souls during their journey. Water is placed on the altar to quench the thirst of the spirits after their long voyage. In Oaxacada they are decorated with colorful paper mache called alebrijes.
Further to the sea like Veracruz, seashells, seaweed and fish. In big cities like Mexico City they also use more urban and modern things. At the altars they adorn them with pictures of the deceased as well as statuettes and images of saints and the virgin Mary. They sometimes offer shots of tequila or mezcal to adults or toys for the children. Most iconic though is perhaps the sugar skull.
Calacas and Calaveras: The Dance of Death
La Catrina:Sueño de una tarde dominical en la Alameda Central by Diego Rivera. Both him and Frida Kahlo is depicted together with La Catrina.
One of the most iconic images of Día de los Muertos is the calavera, or skull, often depicted in the form of brightly colored sugar skulls. These Alfeñiques sugared skulls, adorned with intricate designs, represent the dead but in a playful, lively way. The calacas (skeletons), whether in art or costume, are often shown dancing, playing music, or engaging in joyful activities. This imagery reflects the belief that death is not to be feared but rather embraced as a continuation of life.
Perhaps the most famous depiction of the calavera is the La Catrina figure, created by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada in the early 20th century. La Catrina is a skeletal figure dressed in elaborate European clothing, a satirical commentary on Mexican society but also a reminder that death comes for all, regardless of status or wealth.
Whereas Posada’s print intended to satirize upper class women of the Porfiriato, the famous Mexican artist, Diego Rivera made a huge mural where she was the centerpiece. There he molded her into a Mexican national symbol by giving her attributes that referenced indigenous cultures.
La Catrina has since become a symbol of Día de los Muertos and a popular costume during the celebrations. People are now dressing as her as a tribute and her imagery is known far outside the Mexican borders. The face painting of a human skull was not really a part of the tradition, but has become popular in recent years, especially in urban areas.
The Journey of Souls
Día de los Muertos is often celebrated over two days. November 1st, Día de los Angelitos (Day of the Little Angels), is dedicated to the souls of deceased children where they are reunited with their family for a day. This is perhaps a more somber day for obvious reasons than the following day. Because November 2nd, Día de los Difuntos (Day of the Dead), is for honoring adults who have passed away and the night is more festive.
Families visit cemeteries, clean the graves of their loved ones, and often spend the night by the tombs, sharing stories, playing music, and sometimes even hosting feasts at the gravesite. These traditions ensure that the dead are never forgotten and remain an integral part of the family.
Other traditions children will go out in the street, knocking on the doors for a calaverita, which is a small gift like candy or money. The difference between this and the Trick or Treat is that there is no threat if they don’t give anything.
They also write a particular literary form called Calaveras literarias that are lighthearted and often mocking epitaph to their friends and family. In recent years, parades in the streets with people dressing up have become more and more popular. Inspired by the 2015 James Bond movie Spectre, which featured a large Day of the Dead parade, Mexico City held its first-ever parade for the holiday in 2016.
From Ancient Rituals to a Global Tradition
Over time, Día de los Muertos has gained recognition beyond Mexico’s borders. Thanks in part to the efforts of Mexican-American communities, the holiday is now celebrated in various parts of the United States, particularly in regions with large Latino populations. Schools, community centers, and cultural organizations build ofrendas, host parades, and teach the significance of the holiday. Movies such as “Coco” (2017) have introduced the spirit and meaning of Día de los Muertos to global audiences, further embedding it in the popular imagination.
Read Also: Check out all ghost stories from Mexico
This didn’t go without its controversies though, as when the American Halloween became popular through popular culture through the North American Free Trade Agreement some saw as a form of U.S Cultural Imperialism. In the 1990 the phrase “Día de los Muertos is not Mexican Halloween” became more of a political statement
But as much as the cultural conservatives saw Halloween as a ‘cultural pollution’, there is no denying that the two holidays have influenced each other in the later years. A write posed the question, when children are wearing a costume from the Disney movie, Coco, is the Mexican child wearing a Halloween costume or Día de los Muertos costume? Could it not be both?
Día de los Muertos and the Beautiful Dance with Death
The candles get lit as the Monarch butterflies that holds the spirits of the departed arrive in Mexico in the fall for the celebration. Día de los Muertos is not just a day of remembrance; it is a celebration of the beautiful, mysterious connection between life and death. It teaches that death is not the end but a continuation of the journey, one that is marked with love, color, and family. As the marigolds bloom and the candles flicker in the cool autumn air, families gather to welcome their ancestors and celebrate the timeless dance between the living and the dead.
Bonfires to ward off evil and leaving food for the ghost; the Celtic pagan celebration of Samhain slowly morphed into what is now the modern Halloween with the Trick or Treat, horror movies and costume parties. But how was the celebration done in the olden days, really?
Samhain, pronounced “sow-win”, is a festival that originated in ancient Celtic culture throughout Europe, and is the precursor to the modern Halloween. Celebrated on the night of October 31st, Samhain marks the end of the harvest season and the onset of winter, a time traditionally associated with darkness and death. The Celts believed that during this liminal period, the veil between the living and the dead was at its thinnest, allowing spirits to return to the world of the living.
But what happened to this ancient celebration, and just how much of the modern Halloween tradition is really rooted in the pagan holiday?
Samhain Bonfire: Neo pagans celebrating Samhain in Ireland.// Source: Wikimedia
The Ancient Celtic Context of Samhain
The festival of Samhain was not merely a celebration; it was a deeply spiritual time for the Celts, who inhabited regions that are now part of Ireland, Scotland since pagan times. It was at least a part of the Gaelic Celts. Although something similar would be celebrated by the Brittonic Celts in Wales as Calan Gaeaf.
The Celtic people were a big and diverse group of people settled throughout Europe in the Iron and Bronze age, as far as Turkey at one time. In the 3rd century BC they were more or less absorbed into the Roman Empire, and most of the remains of the Celtic culture exists in the northernmost parts of Europe in the west.
Ancient records indicate that Samhain was one of the four major Gaelic festivals, alongside Imbolc, Beltane, and Lughnasadh. These festivals were pivotal in marking the changing seasons and agricultural cycles, providing a connection to the earth and the spirits that inhabited it.
Some believe that this was the Celtic New Years, but it is a much disputed theory. Samhain signified the beginning of the darker half of the year, end of the harvest, a time to reflect on the past year and prepare for the hardships of winter. According to the Celtic calendar, the Celtic days started and ended on sunsets, so that the evening of 31. October to 1. November.
This day was believed to have the veil between our world and the Otherworld be extra thin and the portals or the sídhe were open. We were much closer to the supernatural beings called aos sí and ghosts than the rest of the year. And in contrast to its summer counterpart, Beltane which was a feast for the living, this was supposed to be a feast for the dead.
Although the festival itself was not recorded in detail until the modern era, the way history remembers it is from the fragments of the living culture and traditions still alive today.
Samhain Human Sacrifices
It is often considered a rather sinister holiday, but just how dark could the Samhain celebration be? In pagan times, Samhain is believed to be connected to the Irish Crom Cruach who was given human sacrifice and was some sort of fertility God or a solar deity. It was claimed that a first born child had to be sacrificed at the stone idol in Magh Slécht, today the plains around the south-eastern part of the Parish of Templeport.
Also the people of Nemed had to give two-thirds of their children, corn and milt to the Fomori monsters. The Nemed people were thought to be a third group of Irish settlers from the Caspian Sea, before dying of the plague and the Fomorians.
Fomorians: There are many variants of the scary tales about the Fomorians. They were often considered sea creatures, even pirates as the threat from the vikings came from the sea. Here is John Duncan’s interpretation of the sea gods of Irish mythology.
How much of the Nemed people that are true though, is up for debate. But their dark and grim legends certainly fit right into the mystical and dark Halloween legends where evil is at play.
Samhain Monsters
It wasn’t only the Fomori monster that was connected with Samhain. It was everything. The Pukah that receives the harvest from the field, the headless ghost of The Lady Gwyn in her white dress chasing the children. There is also the Dullahan, small imps or headless men on their red eyed horses carrying their heads, a deadly omen.
The Headless Horseman: A staple of Halloween lore, even today. The story of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving really cemented it in American culture, like many of the Scottish and Irish stories did.
The Sluagh or the fairies were also said to kidnap people on Samhain, transporting them to the Otherworld they perhaps never would escape from.
The Otherworld: In many fairytales there is a story about people being spirited away by the fairies to the Otherworld. The Otherworld is usually called Annwn in Welsh mythology and Avalon in Arthurian legend. In Irish mythology it’s called Tír na nÓg, Mag Mell and Emain Ablach. Here from The ‘Land of the Ever Young’ depicted by Arthur Rackham in Irish Fairy Tales (1920).
As the pagan religion passed over to the Christian one, the monsters we saw changed. From fairies and pagan creatures, the devil, witches and other demons took their place. One could perhaps wonder in our more secular societies, how the Halloween costume tradition still reflects the monsters lurking in the dark.
The Samhain Bonfires Warding off Evil
The Celts honored their ancestors and the spirits of the dead by lighting bonfires, often known as Samghnagans. They were believed to provide protection and guidance. In ancient Celtic times with the druid priest in holy places, and later in the local communities. Through the middle ages, the fires were lit up closer to the farms to protect them and their harvest.
In Ireland there are many places that are still linked to Samhain, you have the Cave of Oweynagat in Country Roscommon where a being from the Otherworld would come from and host the festivities. The Hill of Ward in County Meath was also a place where people gathered to light the bonfires. The Mound of the Hostages at Tara Hill in County Wexford is a 5,000-year-old Neolithic passage tomb. There, the rising sun illuminates the inner chamber at both Samhain and Imbolc. These were often the places the Celts would gather to light up their bonfires.
Bonfires: Neopagans celebrating Samhain as they have tried to recreate the bonfire traditions that were more important in pagan times.
These special fires with special protective and cleansing power as the sun itself, and were a focal point for gatherings, where communities would come together to celebrate, feast, and partake in rituals designed to appease both the living and the dead.
Today, the act of lighting up fires isn’t connected to the Samhain celebrations as it used to. Instead the Jack-o-lantern tradition can perhaps be seen as the modern version to keep the evil at bay with the help of light.
The bonfires were also used for divination, like the 18th-century tradition in Ochtertyre in Scotland. A ring of stones were laid around the fire and people ran around the fire with a torch. The stones were checked on the next day, and if some of them were misplaced, the person it represented would die the following year. This particular divination you also find in the Welsh Celtic, Calan Gaeaf. This is a later interpetation of divination by the bonfire that perhaps have traces dating back to the pagan Celts.
Among the customs observed during Samhain were various divination practices intended to foretell the future, often with nuts and apples. The Celts would engage in scrying with different practices, and nights like Samhain with the veil between the two worlds thinning was a perfect time it.
In the beginning it was most likely the priests or designated seers that did it in religious ceremonies to gain insight from the pagan Gods. Most likely heavily on different drugs and herbs.
Throughout the years it became a more common thing that people did among themselves, perhaps mostly for fun. This practice was especially prevalent among the young, who sought knowledge about potential suitors and marriage prospects in the coming year.
Mirror Magic: Many types of fortune telling persisted up until recent years, or perhaps even practice today. Many of them was about young women and girls trying to foretell their future husband.
Guising for the Fairies
Another thing the Celts most likely did was the guising and mumming that eventually would turn into the modern Trick or Treat. They would dress up, most likely as the aos sí or the pagan Gods and go door to door, often performing or singing for food and drink.
Food and drink offerings played a crucial role during Samhain. Some documents say that they drank for six days in some places. Families would leave out treats and meals to appease the wandering spirits, ensuring that their ancestors were satisfied and would protect the home.
This was often called dumb supper, where dumb in this context means in silence and often in connection in that women ate certain types of food to fortell their husbands.
This tradition probably stems from the fact that the spirits and the aos sí were remnants from the pagan God and revered as such. Some left windows and doors to let their ancestors enter their home for the night, some shut it to keep the spirits out. It was also customary for people to wear costumes made of animal skins or disguises to confuse the spirits, preventing them from causing harm.
The Transformation into Halloween
With the arrival of Christianity in the Celtic lands, many traditional pagan celebrations began to intertwine with Christian beliefs already in 609, by Pope Boniface IV. To replace the pagan festival, the Church moved All Saints’ Day from May to November 1st, followed by All Souls’ Day on November 2nd in the 9th century by Pope Gregory. The night before All Saints’ Day, known as All Hallows’ Eve, retained much of the Samhain traditions, including bonfires and the practice of wearing costumes.
As these Christian holidays spread, so did the customs associated with Samhain. The name “Halloween” is derived from “All Hallows’ Eve,” marking the transition from a pagan to a Christian celebration. The idea of honoring the dead was preserved, albeit within a different context. Some could even argue that the Samhain traditions we know of today were also inspired by the All Saint’s Day.
The Influence of Irish and Scottish Immigration
In the 19th century, Irish and Scottish immigrants brought their customs to North America, further evolving Samhain into what we now recognize as Halloween.
As the years passed, Halloween became more secular, and the emphasis shifted from honoring the dead to celebrating with costumes, parties, and playful spookiness. Carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns, initially a practice using turnips in Ireland, became popular in America due to the abundance of pumpkins. The bright orange fruits symbolized harvest and autumn while also echoing the ancient practice of lighting fires to ward off spirits.
But is this really just a dead holiday today, has it been swallowed completely by Halloween? As the highly commercialized and secular holiday took form, another branch of Samhain took form in the 19th and 20th century. Celtic Neopagans and Wiccans have taken Samhain as their own, trying to celebrate it as a religious holiday instead.
Halloween is a far cry from its Samhain origins, having transformed into a celebration of fun, fright, and community. Yet, the echoes of its ancient past linger in the traditions of dressing up, honoring the dead, and embracing the supernatural and reminding us that the veil between our world and the other, can be very thin.
As well as pagan roots, modern Halloween has its Christian touches as well. The three days of Allhallowtide is an old Catholic celebration of the dead, where its followers are praying for their departed as well as reflecting over their own mortality and coming death.
“My God, bestow Thy blessings and Thy mercies on all persons and on those souls in Purgatory for whom I am in charity, gratitude, or friendship bound and have the desire to pray. Amen.” – Invocation of the souls in purgatory
Allhallowtide, also known as Hallowmas, is a deeply spiritual and eerie season in the Catholic tradition, encompassing All Saints’ Eve (Halloween), All Saints’ Day (November 1st), and All Souls’ Day (November 2nd). This sacred triduum is rooted in ancient customs that venerate the dead while warding off evil spirits, and its ghostly imagery and rituals have shaped the modern celebration of Halloween.
There isn’t only in Europe you can observe the Catholic Allhallowtide. In Mexico they celebrate it as El Dia de Los Muertos and have a very distinct imagery and customs as it merged with the ancient Aztec traditions honoring Mictecacihuatl, the goddess of the underworld. In the Phillippines they call it Memorial Day. It is not even just the catholics having some kind of celebration during the Allhallowtide as even after the Reformation, the Protestant also took some of the celebration with them. But how did this celebration of the dead start, and how did it end up as the modern Halloween?
Day of the Day: Christian devotee pays respect and offers prayers at the grave of a family member to mark All Souls Day at a Holy Cemetery in Chattogram in Bangladesh. All Souls’ Day, also known as the Commemoration of All the saints departed. //Wikimedia
The Origins of Allhallowtide
The origins of Allhallowtide trace back to early Christian practices that commemorated saints, martyrs, and the faithful departed as early as back as the 4th century. The Christians needed a day to venerate the saints and initially they decided on May 13th in 609, decided by Pope Boniface IV as the Pantheon in Rome was consecrated called Basilica of St. Mary and the Martyrs.
The Pantheon or Basilica of St. Mary and the Martyrs in Rome
This was a temple built for the Roman Gods and the way it transformed into a Christian Church is perhaps to show how something old and pagan turned into something Christian. Kind of like the same story with Samhain in many aspects.
By the 8th century, Pope Gregory III dedicated November 1st as All Saints’ Day, a time to honor saints who had passed to align more with the European further north.
As Catholicism spread across Europe, it merged with local pagan traditions like Samhain. Some scholars think that Allhallowtide celebrations arouse to ease the Pagan Celts’s convergence into Christianity. There are also those that think the Celtic Samhain were just as much influenced by the Christian celebration.
The Celts believed that during Samhain, the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead was thinnest, allowing spirits to roam. This blending created an atmosphere ripe for ghost stories, fear of the supernatural, and rituals to keep dark entities at bay.
Demons, Ghosts, and Gothic Imagery
During Allhallowtide, it was widely believed that demons, ghosts, and lost souls lurked in the shadows, seeking to torment the living. While All Saints’ Day focused on the saints and their miracles.
Memento Mori: The day was often used to visit graves and lighting lights for the dead.//Source: All Souls’ Day by William-Adolphe Bouguereau
Perhaps the dark imagery we know from Halloween comes more from the next day: All Souls’ Day—the day to pray for the souls trapped in Purgatory—who had a more somber, eerie tone. People believed that the dead needed their prayers to be freed from purgatorial suffering, and if they were neglected, their restless spirits could cause mischief or even harm. Lighting candles or visiting their graves serves to kindle a light for the poor souls languishing in the darkness.
Churches often held midnight masses, with the flickering light of candles casting long, sinister shadows over darkened stone walls. The consecrated gothic churces and cathedrals became the very image of these day, and it is not a far stretch to claim the gothic imagery we have for Halloween comes in large from this.
As the faithful prayed for the dead, the feeling of unseen presences lurking around them was palpable. This led to an association of Allhallowtide with not only the holy but also the haunted.
The fear and reflection of death was important, as was the saying Memento Mori, or remember you shall die. The fear of demons also played a significant role. With the dead in close proximity, malevolent spirits were believed to take advantage of the liminal period to break through the spiritual barriers.
Many customs, such as lighting candles, dressing in costumes, or placing offerings of food at doorsteps, were meant to ward off these dangerous entities. Gargoyles, grimacing and monstrous, were commonly carved into the architecture of Catholic cathedrals, serving both as protectors and reminders of the evil that lurked.
Even the tradition of wearing costumes on Halloween has roots in Allhallowtide. Medieval Christians would dress as saints, angels, or even demons to personify the cosmic struggle between good and evil. Today, Halloween costumes range from the terrifying to the playful, but the theme of disguise—to ward off or confuse malevolent forces—remains.
Remembering the dead: An elderly woman stands alone holding her walking stick. She looks down in thought, presumably reflecting on her dead husband. To the left of the woman is a lantern on which hangs a commemorative wreath; behind that is a stone monument. //Image: All Souls Day by Jakub Schikaneder 1888.
Rituals and Superstitions
Souling: In England, a popular tradition associated with All Souls’ Day is souling,were they went round to the houses of the well-to-do on Souling Day, as they called it, begging money, apples, ale, or doles of cake.
Bonfires, another ritual carried from Samhain into Allhallowtide, were lit on All Hallows’ Eve to keep away evil spirits. The fire symbolized light and protection, guiding the souls of the faithful dead to peace while scaring off the demonic. Much like the tradition of lighting candles in church for the departed. People would also carve turnips into grotesque faces, mimicking the Jack-o’-lantern of today, to frighten away wandering spirits.
Another thing that Samhain and Allowtide had in common was leaving food on the table for the departed, keeping the room warm for them and the likes. Examples of regional customs include leaving cakes for departed loved ones on the table and keeping the room warm for their comfort in Tirol and the custom in Brittany, where people flock to the cemeteries at nightfall to kneel, bareheaded, at the graves of their loved ones and anoint the hollow of the tombstone with holy water or to pour libations of milk on it. At bedtime, supper is left on the table for the souls.
There was also a belief in divination during this time. Just as the Celts used Samhain for fortune-telling, during Allhallowtide, prophetic dreams and omens were thought to hold sway. It was believed that the spirits of the dead could offer glimpses into the future or warnings about dangers ahead.
The Dark Legacy
While Allhallowtide’s focus on saints and the dead is deeply spiritual, it also carries a dark undercurrent of fear—fear of lost souls, malevolent spirits, and demons unleashed upon the world. This duality of honoring the dead while fearing the unknown reflects humanity’s deepest existential anxieties. It is this legacy that transformed into the eerie, chilling celebration of Halloween, where ghosts and monsters, the sacred and the profane, come together in a night of unsettling mystery.
In modern Halloween, the echoes of Allhallowtide remain, even though the Halloween celebration has become a controversial one. The pagan influence as well as the demonic and dark imagery connected to venerating Satan instead of the dead has made many Christians to depart from the celebration their religion helped shape.
The prayers for the dead have become a night for ghost stories, the saints have transformed into costumes, and the bonfires have morphed into jack-o’-lanterns glowing in the dark. But beneath it all, the core idea remains the same: the borders between the worlds of the living and the dead blur, and on this night, something lingers.
Before the modern Halloween came back to the British Isles, there were celebrations like the Welsh Calan Gaeaf. The first day of winter. The night before this day was when the veil was thinnest and the spirits roamed the land.
Home, home, at once The tailless black sow shall snatch the last one. – Welsh rhyme from Nos Calan Gaeaf
As the winds of autumn grow colder and the days shorter, the people of Wales prepare for Calan Gaeaf, a festival steeped in ancient tradition and eerie folklore. Celebrated on the night of October 31st, this Celtic holiday marks the transition into winter—when the veil between the living and the dead thins, allowing spirits to walk freely among the living.
Much like its more famous counterpart, Halloween, Calan Gaeaf is a time when ghostly apparitions and supernatural forces are said to roam the earth. But in Wales, the night is uniquely filled with tales of terrifying spirits, haunted crossroads, and ominous signs of death. It’s a night where even the bravest avoid stepping outside after dark.
The Origins of Calan Gaeaf Festivities
Harvest: The Calan Gaeaf is a harvest festival as well, and things like apple bobbing and telling fortune of apple skin were some of the activities.
Calan Gaeaf, translating to “the first day of winter” in Welsh, has roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. For the Celts, this night represented the end of the harvest season and the start of the dark half of the year, when the world was gripped by cold and the dead returned to walk among the living. Or is it really a tradition for all Celts? There are those who claim there really is no evidence that Samhain was ever celebrated in Wales, making some think it is more a Gaelic custom rather than Celtic.
But how far does this celebration date back though? The word, Galan or Calan is actually from the latin, calends “first day of winter.”
What is Celtic though is the dating of the day. The night before the day is called the Nos Galan Gaef, and this is when the spirits from the otherworld, or Annwn, are said to come out to play. The Celts counted the days to begin on the evening before, not the morning off.
The same term is in the Cornish language called Kalan Gwav, or Allantide as it is mostly called now. In Breton language in modern day France it is called Kalan Goañv.
Wales, with its rich Celtic heritage, embraced these ancient beliefs, and Calan Gaeaf became a night filled with both celebration and fear. Fires were lit in villages to keep the malevolent spirits at bay, and families gathered indoors to share stories of ghosts and ghouls, all while keeping a wary eye on the night outside.
The Haunting Presence of Hwch Ddu Gwta
Among the many eerie figures associated with Calan Gaeaf, none is more feared than Hwch Ddu Gwta, a fearsome black sow with no tail. Legend says that Hwch Ddu Gwta roams the Welsh countryside on Calan Gaeaf, accompanied by a headless woman, the Y Ladi Wen, stalking those who dare to venture outside after sunset. Anyone unlucky enough to encounter this spectral beast would surely be doomed, dragged away into the darkness or even to the underworld itself.
Y Ladi Wen: The Lady in White is a Welsh legend, known as Y Ladi Wen or Y Ddynes Mewn Gwyn. She appears dressed in white, especially during Hollantide and Calan Gaeaf, and is featured in Welsh oral tradition to warn children against misbehavior. Y Ladi Wen can be seen as a scary ghost who might seek help or offer treasure. She is linked to the villages of Ogmore, Ewenny, and St Athan. In Ogmore, a spirit was said to roam until a brave man approached her, discovering a cauldron of gold under a stone in Ogmore Castle. He took some treasure but later returned for more, angering the spirit, who attacked him in revenge. He fell ill and died after confessing his greed, leading to the belief that “Y Ladi Wen’s revenge” would affect anyone who died without revealing hidden treasure. //Source: pduncaza/Deviantart
To avoid Hwch Ddu Gwta and other restless spirits, people would rush home before nightfall, locking their doors tightly. The idea of being caught outside was a terror for many, as it was believed the spirits could claim anyone out in the open on this haunted night.
Hwch Ddu Gwta a Ladi Wen heb ddim pen Hwch Ddu Gwta a gipio’r ola’ Hwch Ddu Gwta nos G’langaea Lladron yn dwad tan weu sana.
The black sow and headless white lady, Will try and catch the last to leave, Thieves abound knitting stockings, Beware the tail-less black sow on winter’s eve.
A game played by the bonfire was also that one of the men would wear a pig skin and chase the children to keep the fear and legend alive.
Divination and Dark Omens During Nos Galan Gaeaf
Aside from the lurking spirits, Calan Gaeaf is a night filled with ancient customs and rituals. One of the most unnerving traditions was a form of divination—an attempt to peer into the future and learn of one’s fate, particularly regarding death. People would gather around bonfires (coelcerth) and throw stones into the flames, each person marking their stone with a special symbol or name. After the fire had burned down, the stones were retrieved. It was said that anyone whose stone was missing in the morning would die before the next Calan Gaeaf. You could also see the people who would die if you ran around the church three times and peered into the keyhole of the church door.
Another dark tradition involved staring into a mirror at midnight on Calan Gaeaf, with the belief that the face of your future spouse—or, chillingly, a skull—would appear behind you. If you saw the skull, you would never marry, and die within a year.
Boys would cut ten leaves of ivy, throw one away and put the rest under the pillow. This would help them see the future, and if they touched the ivy, they would see witches, or gwrachod, as they slept. The men would also dress in women’s clothing mimicking the Gwrachod and go from door to door for treats. This was thought to repel the evil spirits.
The girls grew roses in hoops they could go through. They then cut the rose and put it under their pillows to see their future. Peeled apple skin was also thrown over the shoulders to spell the first letter of the future husband.
Bonfire Night: Central to the Nos Calan Gaeaf is the bonfire, or the coelcerth as it is in Welsh.
The Modern Halloween Celebration in Wales
Though today, many of these old customs have faded, the fear of spirits abroad on Calan Gaeaf still lingers in the corners of Welsh folklore. The old ways of celebrating seem like it’s being swallowed by the highly commercialized American Halloween.
On this eerie night, even the skeptics can’t help but feel a shiver down their spine as the wind howls through the hills and the night closes in. After all, as the old tales warn—if you’re out too late on Calan Gaeaf, you might just find yourself face-to-face with something that doesn’t belong in this world.
So when October 31st comes around in Wales, beware of wandering too far from home. Hwch Ddu Gwta might be watching, and the spirits may be closer than you think.
Trick-or-Treat is now an integral part of the Halloween celebration. It is often seen as an American tradition, but history tells us that this custom has deep roots to even pre-christian times with much darker and supernatural reasons.
Trick-or-treating, a beloved Halloween tradition, is now synonymous with costumed children going door-to-door in search of candy. But the history of this custom stretches back centuries and is steeped in eerie folklore, ancient rituals, and dark traditions that were once far more sinister than a friendly request for sweets.
The act of going from house to house for food or treats in the fall and winter part of the year has had countless variants throughout Europe. On the Greek Island, Rhodes, children dressed up as swallows and sang a song as they went door to door in search of treats. If the house owners refused, they pranked them. In northern parts of Europe there was the Scandinavian Julebukk, or the German St. Martin’s day or Rummelpott for instance that are much closer to winter and Christmas. In southern Europe we have more traditions of the Catholic version and in Portugal children go out on All Hallow’s Day for Pão-por-Deus (bread for God’s sake) from their neighbors.
Today, the tradition has become more global and capitalized. It is estimated that $3 billion is spent on Halloween costumes annually in North America. But for the sake of tracing it back to the modern Trick-or-Treat, we will mainly focus on the Celtic traditions.
The Celtic Roots: Samhain and the Spirit World
The origins of trick-or-treating trace back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, celebrated over 2,000 years ago in what is now Ireland, the UK, and northern France. For the Celts, Samhain marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, a time of seasonal transitions when the boundary between the world of the living and the dead blurred.
On the night of October 31, spirits of the dead were believed to return to Earth, roaming the land and causing chaos. This was also the case for the fairies or the Aos Si.
To appease these wandering spirits and avoid harm, people would leave out food and drink as offerings. Disguises were also worn—animal skins and masks—to blend in with the spirits or confuse malevolent ones who might wish to do harm.
It is also said that people dressed up and went door to door to impersonate the spirits and receive the offering on their behalf. Dressing up as them was also seen as a way to protect themselves from them. These early costumes, used as a form of protection, laid the foundation for the Halloween costumes we see today.
Neopagan Samhain Still Alive: Although the tradition of Samhain is mostly died out and replaced with various Halloween tradition, there are still those who celebrate it how they think their ancestors did it with bonfires, dressing up and offerings. Here, a neopagan is celebrating Samhain. //Source: Matt Cardy/wikimedia
Medieval Europe: “Souling” and “Guising”
As Christianity spread across Europe, pagan traditions like Samhain were absorbed and transformed by the Church. By the Middle Ages, the practice of leaving offerings for the dead evolved into a custom known as souling. On All Hallows’ Eve (October 31) and All Souls’ Day (November 2), the poor would go door-to-door offering prayers for the souls of the dead in exchange for food, often a type of small cake known as a “soul cake.”
This practice, called “souling,” was common in parts of Britain and Ireland, where people also carried lanterns made from hollowed-out turnips, a precursor to today’s jack-o’-lanterns.
Souling: An English custom with origins in the medieval era and is still practised to a minor extent in Sheffield and parts of Cheshire during Allhallowtide.The rich gave soul cakes to the poor on Halloween who prayed for their souls. It became so popular that small companies went door to door on Halloween, begging soul-cakes by singing under the windows some such verse as this: “Soul, soul, for a soul-cake: Pray you, good mistress, a soul-cake!”‘
At the same time, a tradition known as guising emerged in Scotland and Ireland, at least as far back as the 16th century. It’s a play on the word, disguise. Children would dress in costumes or disguises—often as ghosts, witches, or demons—and go house to house, offering songs, poems, or jokes in exchange for food, coins, or other small treats. Guising allowed people to celebrate the liminal nature of Halloween, when the world of spirits and the living briefly intertwined, while also warding off evil with their clever disguises.
Guising: There were many local variants of guising. The Outer Hebrides and Shetland have a blend of Celtic and Norse traditions that created the straw Skekler costume, a custom that died out around 100 years ago. They would go door to door and perform for money or food. Until the householder guessed their names, they couldn’t show their faces. Here from Oidhche Shamhna, a South Uist Halloween,1932.// Source: Margaret Fay Shaw Photographic Collection/ Canna House, the National Trust for Scotland.
The American Evolution: Mischief and Sweets
When European immigrants, particularly from Ireland and Scotland, brought these customs to America in the 19th century, they began to blend with other cultural traditions. The first recorded time guising was recorded in America was in 1911 in Ontario, Canada when a news reporter wrote about it. The first time it was said Trick-or-Treat was in 1917 in the same place. It is of course possible it was done before as well.
Late 1800s childrens’ costumes
By the early 20th century, Halloween had evolved into a community-centered holiday with parties, parades, and festive gatherings. But trick-or-treating had not yet become widespread. It wasn’t until the 1920s and 1930s, during the Great Depression, that trick-or-treating as we know it began to take shape in the U.S.
Some claim that the trick-or-treating was invented by adults to change the Mischief Night vandalism that was mostly about pranks and crime. Halloween was often a night of mischief and pranks—sometimes harmless, sometimes destructive. Young people, especially in cities, would engage in acts of vandalism or play tricks on their neighbors, from tipping over outhouses to egging homes. To curb this mischief, communities and neighborhoods began organizing more structured Halloween activities. The history tells otherwise though, and it has been a children’s activity for centuries.
After World War II, with the baby boom in full swing and sugar rationing over, Halloween trick-or-treating exploded in popularity. Candy companies seized the opportunity, marketing small, individually wrapped candies specifically for Halloween. By the 1950s, the phrase “Trick-or-Treat” became widely used across America, and the once-mischievous demand for candy evolved into the fun, family-friendly event it is today.
The Haunting Tradition Lives On
Today, millions of children across the world take to the streets each Halloween, dressed in everything from spooky monsters to superheroes, eager to collect candy. The modern tradition from America has spread back to Europe and beyond, echoing the ancient rites. It was not until the early 2000 that children started saying Trick-or-Treat in Scotland and Ireland, but the tradition has seemingly taken a full circle back, although perhaps taken over the more localized versions that used to exist.
Pop Culture Influence: Trick-or-treating originated in Britain and Ireland in the form of souling and guising but the use of the term “Trick-or-Treat” at the doors of homeowners was not common until the 1980s and later with its popularization of the tradition through movies like E.T and other.
But beneath this lighthearted tradition lies a history of ancient fears and beliefs. The disguises, the begging for offerings, and even the lingering notion of “tricks” all harken back to a time when Halloween was not just a night of fun, but a night when the spirits of the dead walked among the living.
While the tradition of trick-or-treating has transformed into a celebration of candy and costumes, the eerie undertones remain—reminders of a time when the veil between worlds was thin, and a knock on the door might just have been from something otherworldly.
Despite the concept of trick-or-treating originating in Britain and Ireland in the form of souling and guising, the use of the term “Trick-or-Treat” at the doors of homeowners was not common until the 1980s, with its popularisation in part through the release of the film E.T.
On the place were the grand Palau Guell now stands, there used to be a more humble building of rental homes known as the Ave Maria House. People passing by would make the cross for safety as the house was also known as the House of Fear and believed to be haunted.
Spain is home to many old houses, some of which are said to be haunted. From tales of ghostly apparitions, strange noises and unexplained phenomena, these stories have been passed down through generations. In this article we will explore one such haunted house in Spain and uncover its mysteries.
Read more: Check out all of our ghost stories from Spain
Prepare to be captivated by the spine-chilling tales that surround the enigmatic Ave Maria House in Barcelona. Nestled within the labyrinthine streets of this ancient city the place became known for its ghostly legends and eerie happenings.
Before it was built a huge palace was built on the site, there used to be a much humbler building. The now No. 5 house on Nou de la Rambla in Barcelona used to be called The House of the Ave Maria, or more sinister, The House of Fear. Back then it used to stand many rented homes there.
The House of Fear
Locals and passersby would share spine-chilling tales of the unnerving sounds emanating from within its walls. As night fell, lamentations and loud banging would echo through the house, sending shivers down the spines of anyone who dared to venture close. The clanking of chains added to the eerie atmosphere, instilling a sense of dread and fascination in those who crossed its path.
Read more: Check out all of our ghost stories set in Haunted Houses from around the world.
The Ave Maria House became a place of legend, where superstition and fear intertwined. To protect themselves from the malevolent forces believed to haunt the house, people passing by would instinctively make the sign of the Cross and recite a Hail Mary prayer. These rituals provided a sense of solace in the face of the unknown, offering some semblance of protection against the supernatural forces that seemed to lurk within.
The haunting tales surrounding the Ave Maria House captured the imagination of locals and visitors alike, fueling curiosity and the desire to uncover the truth behind the enigma. What lay behind those walls? Who or what was responsible for the eerie happenings that sent shivers down the spines of anyone who encountered the house? The answers remained elusive, shrouded in the depths of history and the realm of the paranormal.
The Exorcism of the Ave Maria House
In an attempt to rid the Ave Maria House of its hauntings, an exorcist was called upon to confront the malevolent forces that plagued the house. With prayers and incantations, the exorcist sought to banish the supernatural entities that held the house in their grip. The rituals and prayers continued until the paranormal activity ceased, leaving behind an eerie silence that contrasted with the previous cacophony of ghostly sounds.
Did the exorcism truly put an end to the hauntings, or did it merely suppress the supernatural forces lurking within the Ave Maria House? We don’t really know for sure as most of the homes were evicted when they started to build the palace.
Some whispered that the spirits remained, lingering in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to once again make their presence known. The mysteries surrounding the house persisted, leaving the curious and the brave to ponder the true nature of the haunting.
The House Today were Palau Guell was built on top of it
As the years passed, the Avemaria House underwent changes that further added to its mystique. Eventually, the house was torn down, making way for a new chapter in its history. A man named Eusebi Guell purchased the plot and built his Palau Guell, a magnificent mansion that still stands today that was designed by Gaudi and built from 1886-1890.
Palau Guell: On the place were the Ave Maria house once stood there now is a palace instead. It is said that the woman living in the house always felt there were something strange going on. Could it be that the haunting continued even after the building itself got knocked down? // Source: Takahiro Hayashi/Flickr
Rumors spread at the time about Eusebi Guell’s wife, Isabel Lopez de Comillas, and her uneasy relationship with the new building. She claimed to hear strange noises, reminiscent of the ghostly sounds that had once plagued the Ave Maria House. Whether these were mere coincidences or a testament to the lingering presence of the supernatural, the whispers added another layer of intrigue to the already enigmatic tale of the haunted abode.
The Enduring Allure of the Ave Maria House
While the house itself may be gone, its mysteries endure, inviting speculation and wonder. What truly happened within those haunted walls? Were the ghostly encounters mere figments of imagination, or did they hold a deeper truth? The Ave Maria House stands as a testament to the enduring allure of the supernatural, reminding us that even in the modern world, there are still mysteries that defy explanation.
As night falls and darkness once again envelopes the streets of Barcelona, the Ave Maria House whispers its secrets to those who listen. Will you be brave enough to venture into the unknown and unravel the enigma surrounding this haunted abode?
The carved pumpkin is perhaps the global symbol of the modern Halloween celebration. But where did this custom come from and what does the Jack-o’-Lantern really represent?
The eerie glow of a carved pumpkin, flickering from a toothy grin, has become an iconic symbol of Halloween on a global scale. Known as the “jack-o’-lantern,” this tradition has its roots deep in ancient folklore where they celebrated Samhain, blending tales of wandering spirits, old-world customs, and the haunting specter of Stingy Jack.
The Jack-o’-lantern is carved mostly from pumpkins these days as the Americans started doing their own versions of the carving tradition brought over by the Irish, Cornish, Scottish and other Celtic cultures. But also other root vegetables like mangelwurzel, rutabaga or turnip have been used over the years.
The carved faces in the vegetables used to be a way of warding off spirits during the old festivals like Samhain when the door between the living and the dead was especially thin as the summer passed over to winter. The lanterns also helped guide the people doing the Samhain ritual of going house to house for food and drink, the prelude to the modern Trick and Treat.
The Old Tradition of Jack-o’-Lantern: Image from The Book of Hallowe’en. Caption “No Hallowe’en without a Jack-o’-Lantern.” This picture is from around 1919. // Source
The Art of Carving Vegetable
Although the tradition of pumpkin carving as we know it today dates perhaps a couple of centuries back, the act of cutting out faces in fruits and vegetables dates back millennials, and is a thing around the world. In the northern European Celtic cultures, some speculate that it was a way to symbolize the severed head of your enemies before its connection to Samhain.
It is worth noting as well, the making of the lanterns was also a practical and cheap way of making use of what you had to shield the lights you lit up in the dark nights. And the faces were a practical and decorative way to make the light shine through, sort of what we do today as well.
Ghost Turnip: This old carved turnip can be found in the National Museum of Ireland. In 1943 a schoolteacher, Rois Ní Braonáin,teaching near Fintown, Co. Donegal. According to here, they always made them like this around 1900. This plaster-cast model was created and painted by the museum artist, Eileen Barnes. Candles were placed inside the turnips and they were used to frighten people on the night of 31 October. // Source
The Magical Lights of the Will-o’-the-wisps
There are many origin stories about the Jack-o’-lantern as a more supernatural item. Perhaps the oldest ones are connected with the will-o’-the-wisps lights with a lot of legends attached to it. The will-o’-the-wisp, also known as ignis fatuus (foolish fire), is one of the most enduring and mysterious legends across cultures. These eerie, flickering lights appear in marshes, forests, and other desolate places, often just out of reach, luring travelers into danger.
In European folklore, will-o’-the-wisps are ghostly lights that hover just above the ground, often leading those who follow them astray. The name itself comes from “Will of the wisp,” referring to a man named Will or Jack who carried a flickering torch, or wisp, through the night. According to some tales, these lights are the souls of those denied entry to both Heaven and Hell, doomed to wander the Earth in limbo. Their ethereal glow lures the unsuspecting traveler deeper into treacherous bogs and dark woods, where they lose their way or meet their demise.
In England, the will-o’-the-wisp is thought to be a malevolent fairy or spirit, delighting in leading travelers off the safe path and into the depths of the wild. In other versions, the lights are said to be the souls of the dead, restless spirits who died untimely deaths and now seek company in the living. Many old English tales speak of people following the lights, only to end up stranded in dangerous swamps or falling into unseen pits.
Will-o-the-wisp and Snake: A painting from 1823 by Hermann Hendrich (31 October 1854 in Heringen, Thuringia – 18 July 1931), a German painter. The legend of the ignis fatuus lights have spurred many legends, one of them leading up to the Halloween pumpkin lantern.
Other cultures have their own interpretations of these haunting lights. In Scandinavia, they’re called irrbloss, believed to be the spirits of unbaptized children or the souls of treasure guardians trying to protect their hoards. In Japan, the hitodama are floating flames representing the souls of the recently deceased, drifting away from the body.
In scientific terms, the phenomenon may be explained by the combustion of gasses such as methane and phosphine released by decaying organic matter in marshes. These gasses can spontaneously ignite, producing the flickering lights that have inspired such widespread fear and fascination.
The Story of Stingy Jack
The will-o’-the-wisps soon merged with the story of the lantern, but so did another one that gave its name. The story of the jack-o’-lantern also originates from Irish myth from the mid 18th century. He has also been called Jack the Smith, Drunk Jack and Flakey Jack But who was Jack? In the 17th century, it was common to call men you didn’t know, Jack, in Britain. So a man working at night as a watchman would be known as Jack-of-the-lantern for instance.
According to legend, a man known as Stingy Jack was a trickster who managed to deceive the Devil himself. Jack invited the Devil to have a drink with him, but when it came time to pay, Jack convinced the Devil to turn into a coin to cover the cost. Instead of using the coin to pay, Jack pocketed it next to a silver cross, trapping the Devil. In exchange for his release, Jack made the Devil promise not to take his soul for ten years.
Ten years later, the Devil returned for Jack, but the cunning man tricked him once again, this time by asking the Devil to climb a tree to pick a piece of fruit. While the Devil was in the tree, Jack carved a cross into the bark, once again trapping him. In exchange for his freedom, the Devil promised never to take Jack’s soul.
However, when Jack eventually died, Heaven refused him entry due to his sinful life, and the Devil, true to his word, wouldn’t claim him either. Left to wander the Earth as a lost soul, Jack was given only a single ember by the Devil to light his way. Jack placed the ember in a hollowed-out turnip, using it as a makeshift lantern as he roamed the afterlife.
In Ireland, people began carving their own turnips and placing candles inside them to ward off Jack’s wandering spirit and other evil entities, Seán na Gealaí’ as it jack-o’-lanterns are called in Irish. This practice, brought to America by Irish immigrants in the 19th century, evolved as the native pumpkin—larger and easier to carve—became the preferred choice for jack-o’-lanterns.
The Jack-o’-Lantern Lights Today
With the rise of electric lights, the tales of Stingy Jack and what happened in the darkness started to fade as the imagination of it was lit up. The custom of cutting out Jack-o’-Lantern for Halloween still persist though. Today, the eerie glow of jack-o’-lanterns is a familiar sight during Halloween, their carved faces a reminder of Stingy Jack’s eternal punishment. Each flickering light serves as a beacon, keeping the spirits at bay while honoring a haunting tale that stretches back through the centuries.
In Somerset, England, a local tradition called Punkie Night in October has many similarities with different Halloween traditions today. A procession of lanterns go through the villagers every year, searching for sweets.
It’s Punkie Night tonight It’s Punkie Night tonight Adam and Eve would not believe It’s Punkie Night tonight
As Halloween approaches with its ghosts, ghouls, and pumpkins we see in the modern age, few are aware of much older, and eerier traditions being celebrated in other places in the world. In the West Country of England, deep in the rural villages of Somerset, an old festival takes place: Punkie Night. The name has many speculations to its origin. Some say it is an old name for lantern or timber, perhaps derived from pumpkin or even the term spunky, used in Somerset to mean the ghost of a young child.
The festival has been celebrated at various sites including Castle Neroche in the Blackdown Hills, Long Sutton, Drayton, Somerset and, more commonly, at Hinton St George and the neighboring village of Lopen. It seems that the celebration used to move around the calendar a bit more, but has now mostly been celebrated as the last Thursday in October. But what is this local tradition really, and how is it connected with the Halloween celebration of today?
Jack o’lantern: The Halloween pumpkin, commonly known as a “jack-o’-lantern,” traces its origins to ancient Celtic traditions. Originally, turnips and other root vegetables were hollowed out and carved with grotesque faces to ward off evil spirits during Samhain, a festival marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. When Irish immigrants brought this tradition to America in the 19th century, they found that the native pumpkin, larger and easier to carve, was a perfect substitute. Over time, the pumpkin became synonymous with Halloween, symbolizing the spooky spirit of the holiday.
The Tradition of Punkie Night
The tradition of Punkie Night dates back centuries, rooted in local lore and shrouded in mystery. On this night, children and adults alike carry carved turnip or a type of beet called mangel wurzels lanterns, called “punkies,” through the streets, often wearing costumes. Today the pumpkin lantern has perhaps taken over, but there are still contest of and prizes of the best punkie.
Punkie Night Lanterns: Today we are more used to see lanterns being carved from pumpkins. But on punkie night the lanterns is carved from a beet called Mangelwurzel, were developed in the 18th century as a fodder crop for feeding livestock. // Source: Punkie Night/Facebook
The eerie glow from the hollowed-out turnips casts ghostly shadows as they sing the traditional Punkie Night song, demanding small offerings from their neighbors. Over the centuries, the tradition of Punkie Night has mellowed, becoming a quirky local celebration, with children dressed in costumes going door to door, punkie lanterns in hand, reciting their chilling rhyme:
“Punkie Night tonight, Give us a candle, give us a light, If you don’t, you’ll get a fright!”
This compares and possibly relates to the custom of Trick or Treat most known from modern Halloween celebrations in the US today. The sight of the procession is enough to make one’s skin crawl, as these turnip-faced ghouls wind their way through the villages, keeping an unsettling link to the past alive.
The History Behind Punkie Night
But Punkie Night is more than just a quaint, local celebration—it carries a dark history according to local lore. Some claim that the night is an ancient one, but is it really? The most popular legend traces its origins to a group of men from the village of Hinton St George, who ventured to a nearby fair in the neighboring village Chiselborough. This is said to have happened at the start of the 1800s. The organized way of celebrating though didn’t really happen until the first decades of the 1900s.
After a night of drinking and revelry, the husbands of the village became lost on their way home, although only a few miles away. The cold October night was dark and treacherous, the countryside devoid of light, and the men, without lanterns, found themselves wandering aimlessly, unable to get home.
Their wives, worried and frustrated, took to the streets, carving punkies out of turnips or mangelwurzels because of the windy night and setting out to find their wayward husbands. The very word Punkie is sometimes thought to be an old English word for a lantern. When the men first saw the lanterns they thought they were will o’the wisps and were scared. Some also said that they thought they were “goolies” which are the restless spirits of children who had died before they were baptized, and they reportedly fled in terror. It’s also said that the flickering lights from these punkies were the only thing that guided the men back home.
But some say there’s a more sinister side to the tale.
Cross at Hinton St. George: The start of Punkie night is often said to have started when the women of Hinton St. George lit up lanterns to guide their husband safely home. // Source: Nick Chipchase/Wikimedia
The Older Punkie Night
The custom has been seen in the last century, and the mangel-wurzel was introduced in England in the late 18th century. But it seems that the concept of Punkie night has existed long before the story of the wayward men.
According to older, whispered versions of the legend, Punkie Night marks a time when the veil between the living and the dead thins, and those lost souls who have wandered too far from the world of the living come back to find their way home as a local continuation of the Samhain celebrations. There is a similar Irish celebration called Púca Night, ‘púca’ meaning fairies or sprites with a similar tradition, so possibly the tradition comes from the same Celtic folklore.
The turnip lanterns were not just to guide the living, but also to ward off the spirits of the dead who roam the dark countryside. The sight of a “punkie” lantern, glowing in the hands of a child, is said to keep these spirits at bay—or at least confuse them into thinking they’ve found their way back to the afterlife. They were also said to be placed in the windowsill to ward off evil spirits, much like the jack-o’-lanterns of Halloween today.
So, if you find yourself in Somerset on the last Thursday of October, beware of the glowing turnips and the haunting songs that fill the night. You might just stumble upon an ancient tradition where the line between the living and the dead blurs, and the past reaches out to touch the present.
An online magazine about the paranormal, haunted and macabre. We collect the ghost stories from all around the world as well as review horror and gothic media.
