All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day are Christian holidays celebrated on November 1st and 2nd. Just like Christmas and Easter, these holidays also have their own Eve – the night before, which falls on October 31st.

That Eve gave birth to Halloween, which surprises a lot of people. Fascinating that Halloween has Christian roots, right?

What else do we know about this Eve? In Christian tradition, it was a day of abstinence from meat, and in Ireland and Scotland people have prepared baked apples, potato cakes, and pumpkin pies for centuries. These traditions were later brought by immigrants to North America in the 19th century, where they flourished. Additionally, one of the main Christian customs connected to this time is visiting cemeteries and lighting candles to honour the dead. So if someone tells you Halloween is a pagan holiday – give them a good smack on the head!

As you know, I’m not a particularly religious person, and I usually celebrate holidays in a more secular way. Halloween, for me, is a night when I’d rather pretend I’m not home – I’ve got a weakness for my candies and my chocolate, and I don’t share them easily! My daughter, however, sees Halloween completely differently. This year, she dressed up as an angel and happily opened the door, handing out sweets to the kids visiting us. I have to admit – she looked absolutely adorable!

Pumpkins! Yes, I have a soft spot for pumpkins, especially when my better half bakes a pie out of them! This year I got one just for myself, and I went wild carving eyes and a smile into it. At night, it beautifully lit up the garden. After Halloween, I passed it on to the birds in my little bird corner – and they seemed very pleased. Remember, no wasting food!

The Halloween vibe isn’t just about pumpkins and candy – I love the songs that pop up around this time of year! Even if I’m not the biggest fan of Halloween itself, I can’t resist good music that sets the mood. I’ve prepared a few tracks I particularly enjoyed – you’ll find them below. Hope you like them too!