Halloween in United Kingdom
Quick Facts
Halloween is a holiday celebrated at the end of October by holding parties, dressing up and going 'trick-or-treating'.Name
HalloweenAlternative name
Hallowe'enHalloween 2008
Friday, October 31, 2008Halloween 2009
Saturday, October 31, 2009See list of observations below
Witches' hats and carved pumpkins symbolize Halloween. ©iStockphoto.com/Nikolay Suslov
What do people do?
Some people hold parties. Guests are often expected to arrive dressed up as something spooky, like a skeleton, a ghost or a character from a horror film. Many parties are aimed at children, although some have a distinctly adult nature. Other people gather together to watch horror films, either at home or in the cinema. In some areas, children go trick-or-treating. This means that they dress up and go to other peoples' houses. There they knock on the door and demand a 'treat', usually sweets or a snack. They threaten that if they do not get a treat, they will carry out a trick on the inhabitant of the house. Tricks are not usually carried out, but the treat can make people, particularly the elderly, feel frightened.Although Halloween has its origins in pagan festivals in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, a lot of the customs seen today originate in the United States. Many stores and businesses see Halloween as an opportunity to have special displays of goods, for merchandising or promoting products with a Halloween theme.
Public life
Halloween is not a public holiday. Schools, businesses, stores and other organizations are open as usual. Public transport services run on their normal timetables.Background and symbols
Halloween has its origins in pagan festivals held around the end of October in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. People believed that, at this time of year, the spirits of dead people could come 'alive' and walk among the living. They thought that it was important to dress up in costumes when venturing outside, to avoid being harmed by the spirits. This may be the origin of the Halloween costumes seen today. In Puritan times, Halloween celebrations were outlawed, but they were revived in later times.Halloween used to be called All Hallows Eve, or the day before All Saint's Day, observed on November 1. In different parts of the country, it is known as Nut-crack Night, Thump-the-door Night or Apple and Candle Night. Some people call Halloween Bob Apple Night or Duck Apple Night. This comes from a traditional game played at this time of year and known as 'apple bobbing' or 'apple ducking'. A bucket or other container is filled with water and one or more apples are floated on the water. The contestants take turns trying to catch an apple with their teeth. They have to hold their hands behind their backs at all times. It is much harder to catch an apple than it sounds!
Some people think that apple bobbing is a reminder of the way women accused of witchcraft in the middle ages were tried. They were tied to a chair and repeatedly ducked into a river or pond. If a woman drowned, she was declared innocent. If she survived, she was declared a witch and burnt at the stake. Others think that apple bobbing is a way for young people to predict who they will marry or whether their partner is faithful.
Some aspects of the modern Halloween celebrations, such as carving lanterns out of vegetables originate long ago. Others were introduced more recently, often as a form of commercial promotion. Many customs originated in the United States and have travelled back to the United Kingdom.
A very wide range of symbols are associated with Halloween. The colors orange and black are very common. Other symbols include pumpkin lanterns, witches, wizards, ghosts, spirits and characters from horror films. Animals associated with the festival include bats, spiders and black cats.
Halloween Observances
| Weekday | Date | Year | Name | Holiday type | Where it is observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri | Oct 31 | 1980 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Sat | Oct 31 | 1981 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Sun | Oct 31 | 1982 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Mon | Oct 31 | 1983 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Wed | Oct 31 | 1984 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Thu | Oct 31 | 1985 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Fri | Oct 31 | 1986 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Sat | Oct 31 | 1987 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Mon | Oct 31 | 1988 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Tue | Oct 31 | 1989 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Wed | Oct 31 | 1990 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Thu | Oct 31 | 1991 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Sat | Oct 31 | 1992 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Sun | Oct 31 | 1993 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Mon | Oct 31 | 1994 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Tue | Oct 31 | 1995 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Thu | Oct 31 | 1996 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Fri | Oct 31 | 1997 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Sat | Oct 31 | 1998 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Sun | Oct 31 | 1999 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Tue | Oct 31 | 2000 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Wed | Oct 31 | 2001 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Thu | Oct 31 | 2002 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Fri | Oct 31 | 2003 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Sun | Oct 31 | 2004 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Mon | Oct 31 | 2005 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Tue | Oct 31 | 2006 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Wed | Oct 31 | 2007 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Fri | Oct 31 | 2008 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Sat | Oct 31 | 2009 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Sun | Oct 31 | 2010 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Mon | Oct 31 | 2011 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Wed | Oct 31 | 2012 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Thu | Oct 31 | 2013 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Fri | Oct 31 | 2014 | Halloween | Observance | |
| Sat | Oct 31 | 2015 | Halloween | Observance |
Other holidays in October 2008 in United Kingdom
- Daylight Saving Time ends (Sunday, October 26, 2008)
Other calendars
- Perpetual yearly calendar - make yearly calendar for any year
- Perpetual monthly calendar - shows only one month at a time
- Custom calendar - make customized calendars
