THE HALLOWEEN
ARCHIVE
Pumpkins, costumes, ghost stories and traditions stretching back generations. Discover how Halloween developed, where familiar customs came from and some of the stranger traditions that once belonged to the night.
History, traditions & strange customs
Follow Halloween from old seasonal customs and eerie folklore to pumpkins, trick-or-treating and the traditions we recognise today.
The History of Halloween
Explore the historical influences and changing traditions that eventually developed into modern Halloween.
TraditionsWhy Do We Trick-or-Treat?
From guising and souling to costumes and sweets, discover the traditions behind Halloween's most familiar doorstep ritual.
FolkloreThe Jack-o'-Lantern
Before glowing pumpkins appeared on doorsteps, carved lanterns and wandering lights had a much stranger history.
IdeasPumpkin Carving Ideas
From classic faces to haunted houses, creatures and eerie landscapes, find inspiration for your next jack-o'-lantern.
After DarkHalloween Ghost Stories
Dim the lights and explore spooky stories chosen for the one night when strange noises seem just a little more convincing.
Past CustomsForgotten Halloween Traditions
Fortune-telling, old games and unusual customs that were once part of Halloween but have largely faded from the modern celebration.
The archive is growing.
GhostlyTV is collecting Halloween history, folklore, stories and seasonal ideas in one place. Explore the archive now and return as 31 October gets closer.