Ancient Welsh Halloween Traditions

Over the years, Halloween in the U.K. has become commercialised due to our American cousins’ pop culture in which people of all ages dress up, carve pumpkins, party, watch scary movies and eat a load of sugary treats.

But where did the annual spook stem from?

The tradition originated with the ancient Celtic Festival of Samhain when Pagans commemorated the end of harvest and the beginning of winter. Our ancestors would congregate around a bonfire; sing, dance, tell fortunes, cook and allow fate to form new relationships.

As the Welsh were mostly agricultural workers before the industrial revolution, they had their own forgotten tradition known as Nos Galan Gaeaf, which was celebrated the night before the first day of winter, November the first. However, as most of the festivities were rooted in rural hamlets and villages, most of the traditions died out with the onset of coal mining.

Coelcerth

Nos Galan Gaeaf, which means winter’s eve, was celebrated around a sacred bonfire, which the Welsh call Coelcerth. People would throw into the flames a stone with their name signed on it in hopes of good fortune.

The following morning, the superstitious folk would return to the bonfire and anxiously look for their stone among the cooled ashes. If not found, it was seen as a bad omen. Those that did not find their stone among the ash the next morning were expected to die before the year was up.

Yr Hwch Ddu Gwta

Towards the end of the festivities when the bonfire died out and the first night of winter set in, children that were still enjoying the social gathering were chased away by a local dressed up as a tailless black demon pig known as Yr Hwch Ddu Gwta.

Children feared the malevolent spirit due to the legendary story. Legend has it that the black sow would capture the last child and eat their soul if caught. The chase was accompanied by a song:

Just like the tale of Red Riding Hood, this scary tradition taught children about the dangers of straying too far from home at night.

Y Ladi Wen

The woman in white is a spirit from Celtic mythology. As white symbolises purity and innocence, she is praised for guarding the graveyards and country crossroads against lingering dark spirits.

However, the colour white can also be interpreted as isolating and cold, giving the woman in white a more sinister persona. As a result, some say she is linked to Yr Hwch Ddu Gwta and lures non-local travellers to the demon pig by acting like a damsel in distress or by tempting the greedy with treasure.

Gwrachod

It was believed that on Nos Galan Gaeaf the veil between the living and the dead was at its thinnest, allowing bad spirits to cross the boundaries alongside the locals’ dead ancestors.

For Celtic priests to predict the future and make accurate prophecies, men dressed up in rags wore masks and danced vigorously around the bonfire to repel the evil spirits. These predictions were a sense of comfort during the harsh winter when food was scarce and death was inevitable.

Their disguise was also used to scare people into giving them treats such as soul-cakes, fruit and nuts whilst souling door to door.

Y Stwmp Naw Rhyw

Before chocolate and sweets became accustomed to Trick or Treat, rooted vegetables and potatoes from the farm were roasted on the bonfire and stewed. A wedding ring was stirred into the large cauldron.

All local young bachelors and maidens were encouraged to eat a bowlful each. The one to find the ring in their bowl would be the first to get married in the group.

Cariad

As rural hamlets and villages relied on able men and women to work the fields, tend to the stock and cook up a feast, reproduction was a must to carry on their way of life.

There was no better time than on Nos Galan Gaeaf, the most spiritual night of the year, to convince young bachelors and maidens that they were destined to be together to complete the cycle of life.

Through games, many were prompted to see each other in a new way, raising hopes among families that marriages and pregnancies were probable in the new year.

Apples played a huge part in binding our ancestors together; one game that stands the test of time is, bobbing for apples. Though, back when our ancestors were playing it, maidens’ names were carved on the bottom of the apple. Each bachelor had a turn at grabbing an apple from the trough of water with their teeth. The maiden whose name was on their bitten apple was destined to be their true love.

As another tradition to seek love with an apple maidens would peel a long stand of apple skin and toss the peel over their shoulder. If the peel landed in the shape of a letter, it was indicated that it was the initial of her future husband.

Marwolaeth

Marwolaeth which means death in English was heavily associated with Nos Galan Gaeaf due to the forthcoming winter when sickness and malnourishment were feared.

Our ancestors became quite obsessed with death and would use any means to predict their loved ones’ ill fate. At the stroke of midnight, morbid individuals would run around their local church three times and then take turns staring through the church’s keyhole. It is believed that the face of the doomed would appear on the other side. How creepy is that?