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These small lanterns were made from hollowed-out turnips. Families placed a glowing ember or candle inside to scare off restless spirits or light the way through the dark. Long before pumpkins, these were the original jack-o’-lanterns of Ireland.
Apples and nuts were a big part of Samhain feasts and games. People roasted hazelnuts for luck, and bobbed for apples to see what fortune the new year might bring. These simple foods carried wishes for health and plenty.
We did our best, but take it with a grain of salt. Apples are very important to ancient Ireland, but they weren't like the apples we have today. They were much smaller and more tart. All of the produce in the photo, likewise, would have been smaller and less regular than you're familiar with.
Samhain marked the year’s turning from light to darkness. Villages lit great communal fires for protection and renewal. Families carried embers from the blaze back home to rekindle their hearths for winter.
Cloaks kept out the cold, but soot or ash served another purpose—disguise. People darkened their faces to confuse wandering spirits or to playfully “guising,” visiting neighbors in character or mask.
These roundhouses, made of woven wood and clay, were warm and sturdy homes. The hearth fire inside was the heart of family life—used for cooking, storytelling, and honoring ancestors during Samhain.
The Samhain table showed the final gifts of the harvest: roots, onions, and hardy greens that would last through winter. Gathering and sharing food was both a chore and a celebration of survival.