Discover the fascinating origins of Halloween games like apple bobbing and ghost stories. Growing up, I never questioned why we bobbed for apples at Halloween parties or why telling ghost stories seemed like the most natural thing to do on October 31st. These Halloween activities felt as timeless as the holiday itself, but the truth about their origins is far more fascinating than I ever imagined.

The roots of our beloved Halloween games stretch back thousands of years to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. Picture this: Irish and Scottish communities gathering around flickering fires as autumn nights grew longer, believing that the veil between the living and dead was at its thinnest. They did not just sit around waiting for spirits to appear though. Instead, they created elaborate rituals and games that would eventually evolve into the Halloween traditions we know today.

Apple bobbing, perhaps the most iconic Halloween game, has surprisingly romantic origins. During medieval times, young women would carve their initials into apples and drop them into water-filled tubs. The idea was that their future husband would be the one to successfully bite the marked apple. Can you imagine the pressure? I tried this once at a college party and nearly drowned myself trying to grab any apple, let alone one with specific initials carved into it.

This apple divination was not limited to bobbing either. People would peel apples in one long strip and throw the peel over their shoulder, believing the shape it formed would reveal the first initial of their future spouse. Others would stand in front of mirrors while eating apples, hoping to see their destined partner’s face appear behind them. These Halloween fortune telling games were serious business back then, serving as both entertainment and a glimpse into what fate had in store.

The tradition of telling ghost stories around Halloween emerged from the Celtic belief that spirits were most active during Samhain. Families would share tales of ancestors and supernatural encounters, partly to honor the dead and partly to prepare for potential otherworldly visitors. Over time, these storytelling sessions evolved into the spine-tingling narratives we share at Halloween parties today. I remember sitting in darkened living rooms as a child, flashlight under the chin, trying to make my voice sound as eerie as possible while recounting tales that probably were not even that scary but felt terrifying in the moment.

Costume wearing, now central to modern Halloween celebrations, also traces back to ancient Celtic practices. People would dress as spirits, demons, or other supernatural beings, believing this would either appease wandering souls or provide protection from malevolent entities. The idea was simple: if you looked like one of them, they might leave you alone. Medieval communities took this further, creating elaborate disguises for their Halloween festivities and sometimes going door to door in costume, which planted the seeds for modern trick-or-treating.

Pumpkin carving has a particularly interesting backstory that many people do not realize. The original jack-o’-lanterns were not made from pumpkins at all but from turnips, potatoes, and other root vegetables. Irish immigrants brought this tradition to America, where pumpkins were more abundant and easier to carve. The practice stems from an Irish legend about a man named Jack who was condemned to wander between worlds with only a carved-out turnip filled with burning coal to light his way. The carved faces were meant to ward off evil spirits, including Jack himself.

Halloween party games like Murder in the Dark and various hiding games developed from older traditions surrounding All Hallows’ Eve. Communities would organize elaborate celebrations that combined elements of harvest festivals with supernatural beliefs. These gatherings served multiple purposes: celebrating the end of harvest season, honoring the deceased, and providing entertainment during the darkest time of year.

What strikes me most about these Halloween game origins is how they reflect universal human desires to connect with mystery, romance, and community. Whether people were seeking glimpses of future love through apple games or testing their courage with supernatural storytelling, these activities provided shared experiences that brought people together during uncertain times.

Modern Halloween activities have certainly evolved from their ancient roots. We may not genuinely believe that bobbing for apples will reveal our soulmates, but we still gather around these traditional games because they connect us to something larger than ourselves. They remind us that humans have always found ways to make light of darkness, literally and figuratively, and that some of our deepest needs for connection and wonder remain constant across centuries.

Next time you find yourself at a Halloween party, participating in these age-old traditions, remember that you are part of a story that began thousands of years ago with people just like us, looking for meaning, magic, and maybe a little fun in the mysterious world around them.

Reference

 Santino, J. (2019). From Samhain to Halloween: The development of Celtic festival traditions. JSTOR Daily. Retrieved September 12, 2025, from https://daily.jstor.org/from-samhain-to-halloween/

University of Southern California Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. (2024). Halloween’s celebration of mingling with the dead has roots in ancient Celtic celebrations of Samhain. USC Dornsife News. https://dornsife.usc.edu/news/stories/how-did-halloween-get-spooky/

Oxford Academic Press. (2023). Samhain: and the Celtic origins of Halloween. In Book Title (if known, or else leave as is). Oxford Academic. https://academic.oup.com/book/47512/chapter/422622861