How is Halloween celebrated in Britain？

　　Just like in America，on October 31 children（and many grownups！）in Britain celebrate Halloween. In fact the custom of trick or treating started out in the UK！

　　Long ago，British children believed that every year they were entitled to one lawless night of pranks they could not be punished for，and this was called Mischief Night. In many parts of the country Halloween was the night they chose，because then the tricks could be blamed on mischievous spirits. It was probably from Scotland that trick or treating spread to the United States.

　　But many，many years before that，the last night of October was Samhain Eve in the British Isles. The word Samhain came from the Gaelic samhraidhreadh，meaning“summer’s end”。Samhain marked the end of summer and the beginning of winter for the Celts，who lived in Britain long ago. The next day was the beginning of the Celtic New Year. Samhain Eve was a gap in the natural order，when the dead returned to their old haunts，and all kinds of supernatural beings，often dangerously powerful，swarmed to plague the living. In the Middle Ages the Catholic church tried to Christianize this pagan festival and perhaps to protect its flock from evil by making Samhain Eve the Eve of All Saints，or All Hallows Eve，preceding All Saints Day on November 1. The word Halloween comes from All Hallows Eve. November 2 became All Souls Day，when prayers were offered for the dead.

　　After the protestant Reformation British churches no longer allowed prayers for souls in purgatory，so All Hallows Eve lost most of its associations with the spirits of the dead. But in Scotland and Wales witches and supernatural beings continued to be recalled by bands of youngsters dressed up in ghoulish costumes，carrying Halloween lanterns. These lanterns were mangel-wurzels （large beets）or pumpkins hollowed out with a ghostly face cut into them，illuminated by a candle placed inside. And just like in America，today children in Britain continue to knock on doors to demand candy or small coins. In the county of Somerset in southwest England this is traditionally called Punky Night.

　　Halloween was regarded as a sort of crack in time，so people also tried to get glimpses into the future. In the old days villagers would watch for the spirits of next year’s dead walking through the churchyard at midnight. Even today， fortune telling ceremonies are still carried on unwittingly or half-jokingly in Halloween party games like apple bobbing. In this game，apples are floated in water or hung by a string，and grabbed by the players just using their teeth. Once caught，the apple must be peeled in one unbroken strip and the peel thrown over the left shoulder. The peel，they say， will form the initial of the player’s true love！

　　In another game，two apple pits or nuts，representing a pair of lovers，are put on the fire side by side. In southern England if they “pop and fly” the love is true，but if they burn together，the couple will part. In northern England and Scotland exactly the reverse is predicted！

　　Also in Scotland，small objects are hidden in a bowl of champit tatties（mashed potatoes）to foretell what the coming year will bring. Everyone takes a spoonful，and their destiny is revealed by the charm in their portion. A thimble means that a woman will not marry，a coin means wealth and a wishbone means that their dearest wish will be granted.

　　In many parts of Britain the celebration of Halloween，which once included bonfires burned to ward off evil spirits， was transferred Guy Fawkes Day on November 5，which commemorates the discovery of a terrorist plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605. But during the past twenty years or so Halloween has been re-introduced throughout Britain from the United States.

　　和美国一样，在10月30号这天英国的孩子们还有许多成人也庆祝万圣节。实际上，万圣节不请吃就捣乱的风俗起源于英国。

　　从前，英国的孩子相信，他们每年都有权力在一个晚上随心所欲，恣意妄为，并且做什么都不会被惩罚。他们还把这一晚美其名曰“淘气之夜”。在英国的许多地区，万圣节就是他们所选的淘气之夜，因为在万圣节上所玩的把戏最能体现淘气这点了。不请吃就捣乱的风俗极有可能是从苏格兰传入美国的。

　　但是在那之前的许多年，在英伦群岛10月的最后一天是古代凯尔特人节日。凯尔特这个词来源于凯尔特的samhraidhreadh，意为“夏末”。对于很久之前就定居于英国的凯尔特人来说，凯尔特意味着夏末冬至。第二天就是凯尔特的传统新年。古代凯尔特人节日是自然规律的一个分界点，这晚亡者会回到他们旧处所，所有具有超自然魔力的诡异神灵群聚去困扰折磨活着的人。在中世纪天主教教会尝试将这个异教的节日基督教化。可能是为了使得它的信徒免受罪恶的侵扰，天主教将古代凯尔特人节日定为所有圣徒之夜，在11月1日的万圣节之前。万圣节前夕这个词就来源于所有圣徒之夜。11月2日则成为了净化魂灵之日，这天所有为亡者祈祷的人会受到款待。

　　英国新教教会改革之后，就不再允许祷告者为洗涤内心罪恶祈祷。所以所有圣徒之夜也就和亡者的魂灵没有太大关系了。但在苏格兰和威尔士，年轻人穿着要妖魔鬼怪的服装，提着兰瓜灯仍然能使人不断回想起巫婆和法师。这些灯笼是大的甜菜根或是南瓜做成的。把它们中间挖空，做出鬼脸的模样，内置蜡烛。和美国一样，今天英国的孩子继续在万圣节这一天敲人家的门锁要糖果和小硬币，在英国南部叫Somerset的地方，传统上人们也之为Punky之夜

　　在万圣节人们也尝试去预测将来。在古老的过去，村民会关注那些午夜时分在教堂院落徘徊的明年将死之人的亡灵。即使在今天一些运势预告的仪式仍然会被人不自觉或半开玩笑的在万圣节的舞会上举行。比如咬苹果。苹果漂浮在水面上或者被细绳悬挂起来。玩家只能用牙齿去抢苹果。一旦抢得苹果。苹果皮一定要被削得很连续，不断落。并且把长长的苹果皮从左肩扔出去。据说，这条长长的苹果皮就是削皮者获得真爱的开始。

　　另外一个游戏，代表一对爱人的两个苹果核被并排放在火上。在英国南部，如果它们被火燃烧发出短促清脆的爆炸声并且崩裂出来，就代表这对情侣的爱是真爱；如果两个苹果核在一起燃烧起来，就表示这对情侣注定分手。而在英格兰北部和苏格兰，预示的意义正好是相反的。

　　同样在苏格兰，人们会在一碗土豆泥里，藏些小物品来预示接下来的一年会给他们带去什么。每个人都挖取一勺，他们的命运就取决于那一勺是什么。如果得到一枚顶针说明这名妇女不会结婚，硬币预示着财运旺盛，鸡的叉骨表示他们最珍贵的愿望将会实现。

　　在英国的很多地方，庆祝万圣节演变成纪念福克斯之夜的形式。点篝火曾是庆祝万圣节的内容之一，用来驱鬼和邪恶的魂灵。现在为了纪念11月5日的盖？福克斯之夜，人们放焰火和点篝火来纪念企图在1605年炸毁议会的恐怖据点的发现。但是在过去的20年中，万圣节又重新从美国传入了英国。