Nowadays 31 October is a day for fancy dress parties, hollowed pumpkins and cheerful and messy games, but some years ago people had bonfires and they used apples and nuts to drive away the witches and spirits that haunted civilisation on this particular night. Nuts were used to predict with whom you were going to marry. You had to put two nuts into the fire side by side, then give them names. It was a good sign if they glowed and burned together, but if one or both burst, it meant bad luck.
A couple could also place two nuts into the fire to see if they would have a long and happy life together.
Apples were used to forsee luck and fortune. You had to bow your head into a bucket filled with water and some apples, and try to catch an apple. The bigger the apple was, the most lucky you will
be.
