Do you know how Halloween started?

Halloween may be the only American holiday that is not associated with a particular feast. Nineteenth-century Irish immigrants brought the October 31 celebration to the United States. On that night it was traditional to give soul cakes to visitors to their households in return for promises to say prayers on behalf of dead relatives.

People often made cake offerings to deities to remove their evil influence. They also offered cake to spirits of the dead, believing that the cakes would nourish them during their long journey to the other world. One of the best-known examples of cakes for the dead are soul cakes, made on 28 October, in connection with All Souls’ Day. For many pagan peoples–the early Celts, for instance–this was the day the dead got up and walked around on earth, and unless they were fed, people believed, the spirits might harm the living.

The Ainu people of Germany and Austria left cakes on graves, and the ancient Egyptians placed them inside tombs. Throughout Europe, people offered soul cakes to the dead to nourish them on their journey to the other world, or used cakes as offerings during funeral rights and feasts. Eating cakes on All Souls’ Day became common practice. In Belgium, people believed that on this day, one soul was released from purgatory for every cake consumed.

Here at ABC Cake Shop & Bakery we believe that every cake you eat frees a soul or two. To celebrate Halloween this year we will give away a FREE small iced Halloween cookie when you visit us starting Monday, October 24th, 2016. While you enjoy your delicious FREE cookie please take a minute and cast a vote for your favorite carved pumpkin! Stop by to get the best Halloween treats and soul freeing cakes in Albuquerque.