Did you know Halloween is also known as All Hallows Eve or All Saints Eve?

What does Halloween mean?

Halloween began as the festival of Samhain. It was part of the ancient Celtic religion in Britain and other parts of Europe.

At the end of summer, the Celts thought the barrier between our world and the world of ghosts and spirits got really thin.

This meant weird creatures with strange powers could wander about on Earth.

The Celts had a big party. It was all about scaring away the ghosts and spirits and celebrated the day because it was when animal herders would move their animals into barns and pens and prepare to wait out the winter.

Later, with the Christian religion, the day became known as All Hallows’ Eve – the day before All Saints’ Day on 1 November.

The word Halloween is derived from the term, “All Hallows Eve,” which occurred on Oct. 31st. “All Saints Day” or “All Hallows Day” was the next Day, Nov. 1^st. Therefore, Halloween is the eve of All Saints Day. Some say that the origins of Halloween can be traced back to ancient Ireland and Scotland around the time of Christ. On Oct. 31^st, 

Halloween is celebrated by millions of people in multiple countries.  For most it is a fun time for kids who put on costumes and going door-to-door to get candy. But it is also known as a time of witches, ghouls, goblins, and ghosts.

It’s in America that Halloween has really taken off.

Irish immigrants to the United States raised the popularity of Halloween during the 19th century.

During the 20th century it became more and more popular, with traditions like pumpkin carving and trick or treating becoming part of TV shows, books and movies.

On 31st October there are loads of Halloween traditions. If you go to a party, expect stuff like:

• Scary fancy dress
• Making pumpkin lanterns
• Trick or treating
• Bobbing for apples
• Telling ghost stories

But not everyone likes celebrating Halloween.

Some religious people believe that making a game out of evil spirits and witches is wrong.

In Lancashire, ‘Lating’ or ‘Lighting the witches’ was an important Halloween custom. People would carry candles from eleven to midnight. If the candles burned steadily the carriers were safe for the season, but if the witches blew them out, the omen was bad indeed.

In parts of the north of England Halloween was known as Nut-crack Night. Nuts were put on the fire and, according to their behaviour in the flames, forecast faithfulness in sweethearts and the success or failure of marriages.

Halloween was also sometimes called Snap Apple Night, in England. A game called snap apple was played where apples were suspended on a long piece of string. Contestants had to try and bite the apple without using their hands. A variation of the game was to fix an apple and a lighted candle at opposite ends of a stick suspended horizontally and to swing the stick round. The object was to catch the apple between the teeth whilst avoiding the candle.

Here at Masterflex, we have no ghosts or ghouls interfering with the manufacturing of flexible hoses and ducting.

If you use hoses in your job, but are unsure which type you use, contact us and we can help you in choosing the right product.

For more information on our product range contact Masterflex UK

Masterflex Technical Hoses Limited
Units G & H, Prince of Wales Business Park,
Vulcan Street, Oldham, OL1 4ER
Tel: 0161 626 8066     Fax: 0161 626 9066

Email: info@masterflex-uk.com or www.masterflex-uk.com