Welcome to the History Extra podcast, fascinating historical conversations from the makers of BBC History Magazine.

How did a Catholic religious celebration transform into a spooky supernatural festival?

Why would turnips and Swedes replaced by pumpkins?

And what happened on mischief night?

Since Halloween is just around the corner,

we decided to bring you this episode from 2022.

When I spoke to Professor Owen Davies

about the historical origins of popular traditions surrounding the 31st of October,

from the malicious and downright dangerous beginnings of trick-or-treating to the ethereal inspirations for gecko lanterns.

Let's start with an incredibly basic question about Halloween, but a very important one, nonetheless.

So we've had a question on Instagram from the Morty Candidate, who was asked,

what is the meaning and origin of the word Halloween?

Can you kick us off?

Yeah, yeah.

Well, I mean, it's simply a contraction of all Hallows Eve, with Eve evening being contracted to EIN. So it's, yeah, essentially it means all Hallows Eve, but it's obviously easy to say Halloween, actually. Yeah. Well, let's go into All Hallows Eve then. Allie Louisa and Bell Buchanan on Instagram both wanted to know where this idea of Halloween or All Hallows Eve originated from.

In both its name and origin, it's a Catholic festival. It's a Catholic festival of the dead, basically.

And we have evidence going right back to the early centuries of the Christian church.

And Halloween is part of kind of three days of commemoration slash

celebration, which is called All Hallow Tide. So you've got All Hallows Eve on the 31st Halloween.

Then on the 1st of November, it's All Saints Day. And then on the 2nd November, All Souls Day.

All Saints Day is commemorating the Saints up in heaven, celebrating.nd November, All Souls Day. The Old Saints Day is commemorating the

Saints up in heaven, celebrating. And obviously, All Souls Day is connected to purgatory and

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