Halloween: The spooky origins of Nos Calan Gaeaf in Wales

Carys, who became a druid in 2023, said that while modern Halloween has gone “hyper horror”, its roots are in is “being able to communicate with ancestors that you love”.

“It’s actually a very wholesome time… I think sometimes you just need to shift that little frame so that it’s not terrifying, that it’s really beautiful and lovely.”

As part of her documentary, broadcast on Radio Wales, Carys learnt about similar traditions from around the world, from Samhain in Ireland to Mexico’s Day of the Dead.

“I find that really interesting, that we did the same kind of celebrations thousands of years ago, but with a sea separating us,” she said.

“The same kind of fairy tales and carving turnips – because we didn’t have pumpkins, that’s an American thing.”