Tuesday 31st October 2023

I've just lit my traditional SNADGIE LANTERN as we called it up in the North East during my childhood.

I believe snadgie is a Scottish term, but I don't know for certain. It was only when I moved away from the North East that I discovered snadgie was a regional term for a swede. To add to the confusion a swede is known as a turnip in the North East. And a turnip, that small round white root vegetable, is also called a turnip. 

Long before pumpkins arrived in the Halloween psyche we carved a snadgie lantern from a turnip (swede). It was hard work and many a kitchen spoon became a contorted work of art as a result. Once the bowl was crafted eyes and a nose were needed, sometimes a mouth too. Often these were triangle in shape, today though I went for diamond eyes.

Back in my childhood once the lantern was ready we'd attach a string to it and back in the 1970's light it from a short candle stub. These days a tea-light makes the illumination much more stable. Many a time in those long ago days the candle would fall over and go out, and struggle to be re-lit. But once lit we naughty children would walk around the village scaring people, or trying to. Occasionally we'd go into friends houses for food or drink, or occasionally to dunk apples. Nothing seemed to be organised and the tradition of Trick or Treat as now practiced didn't exist. My overriding memory of these Halloween evenings was the aroma of singed sweed from the heat of the candle. I can smell it now. Memories.

Carving a snadgie lantern is a tradition I've kept all my adult life as I've always had a liking for All Hallows Eve when the energy between this life and the next is stretched so thin we can see the other side. Or we like to believe so. 

This year it is even more poignant as exactly twelve months ago my mother was coming to the end of her time with this life and she died only 30 minutes into November 1st. I wonder then if mum can see us from the other side as I light my lantern today.