Halloween in Scotland

The origins

Halloween has particularly deep roots in Scotland, and many of the traditions we associate with the festival today can be traced back to the ancient Gaelic celebration of Samhainn. Celebrated on the night of 31 October, Samhainn marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, the "dark half" of the year. People believed that on this night, the boundary between the living world and the spirit world became thinner, allowing spirits, fairies, and ancestors to roam freely in our world. 

As Christianity spread across Scotland, Samhainn became linked with All Hallows' Eve, the night before All Saints’ Day on 1 November. Over time, the name evolved into ‘Halloween’, from the Scots term for All Hallows' Even.

Scottish roots

Many familiar Halloween traditions also have Scottish roots that date back to the 16th century, including carving lanterns from turnips (known in Scots as 'tumshies') rather than pumpkins, fortune-telling games involving apples and nuts, and community bonfires. Scottish emigrants later carried these customs to North America, where they evolved into the modern Halloween celebrations enjoyed all over the world today.