Halloween Was About Hunting Love Through Horror
Women named hazelnuts after potential matches and throw them into the fire to test their future.
Halloween — A Haunted Holiday or a Holiday of Love? This is so dumb! Jack-o-lanterns, Witch costumes, and Trick — or — Treat! Make me my soul mate tonight Meet!
Would have been a spell the single ladies used on Halloween! Why? Because Halloween had previously been the creepy Tinder for all those single!
Yes, such an innocent kid’s holiday has some weird and downright laughable beliefs attached to it! Well, as they say, love can be scary, but to take it to such an extent?
Love Hunting
To find love on the night of the dead, demons, witches, and goblins? Um, that’s a little bit concerning, no? Would you go ‘yay’ or be ‘boo-ed’ away by these strange Halloween traditions? Who even cares? Like buried? This sucks.
So, be it Irish hosts hiding rings in their mashed potatoes or single ladies being advised to stand in front of the mirror on Halloween eve, you sure are in for a treat with this obsolete tradition that makes you think, was Halloween like the witches’ valentine’s day?
Mirror Mirror on the Wall! Mirror love hate
Watch me cackling like a witch at how hilarious this tradition was! Supposedly, single ladies were encouraged to stand before a mirror at midnight on Halloween eve. It was believed that would make their true love appear over their shoulder.
This is surely creeping me out because this ritual reminds me of that ‘bloody Mary’ game. Especially since those ladies were also asked to stand with a candle.
Now, I am not sure whether they were trying to find true love or scare it away! This practice was so common that renowned author Agatha Christie describes it as a famous party activity in her 1969 novel, ‘Halloween Party.’ There were even countless postcards with instructions printed on them for this purpose only!
Absolutely Nuts for Halloween!
People in the 18th century were nuts about Halloween and finding true love, pun fully intended. One of the activities of matchmaking was to go hunting for chestnuts in groups. Then, whoever found the burr first was believed to get married first as well.
Similarly, in Scotland women were supposed to take hazelnuts, name them after potential matches and then throw them into the fire. (Alexa plays ‘let’s kill this love’ by ‘Blackpink.’)
No, but actually it was believed that the nut that turned to ash as opposed to exploding was your true love. In some places, people even used to take a bowl, pour brandy in it then throw in candied nuts and fruits. Whoever caught the nuts first would get married first, after receiving proper medical attention for burns no doubt!
However, if you are just not that into burning and stuff, then you could even drink a sugary concoction of hazelnut and nutmeg right before bed. This was believed to help you think of your beloved even in sleep and to dream about them. This does sound safer and more romantic.
‘A-peeling’ for Those Single Ready to Mingle!
In the same vein as nuts, apple bobbing was a match-making ritual as well. Yes, the innocent game children play on Halloween has a much deeper meaning!
In games like ‘Snap Apple’ or ‘Adam and Eve Apple’ (yeah, it is even named after the first couple of the universe!) There was an apple hung by a string from a ceiling. The first to secure the apple with their teeth was believed to be the first to get married
A Delicious Way To Bag the Man or Woman of Your Dreams!
Another way was to peel an apple and toss those peels over your shoulders. The peels then, upon falling to the ground were expected to form the letter with which began the name of your true love! Talk about downright ‘a-peeling’ ways to find love.
Similar to the mirror practice, this peeling process was supposed to be done at midnight as well.
Basically, the origin of these tasty match-making activities is rooted in the belief that apples are a symbol of fertility. Hence, love and fertility go hand in hand apparently, the whole fall in love, get married, have children, live happily ever after chain of events was believed to be sparked by playing apple bobbing on Halloween!
Happily Ever After on Halloween?
Primarily, the point of all this was that if the spirits are coming to this world on Halloween anyway, why not put them to use and find your true love? Also, would you follow any of these rituals? Not that any of you could be this desperate to find true love, but if you were, then 31st October would be your ideal day.
Get your mirrors, candles, apples, and nuts ready! Even if true love does not show up at your doorstep then at least you kept these Halloween traditions alive! What do you think? Are you hoping for a Happily Ever After this Halloween?
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