Girls were told to place hazel nuts along the front of the firegrate, each one to symbolize one of her suiters. Several methods used the apple, that most popular of Halloween fruits. Your future spouse will then appear over your shoulder. Or, you might set a snail to crawl through the ashes of your hearth. The considerate little creature will then spell out the initial letter as it moves.
Various authorities attribute it to either Scottish or Irish origin.
However, it seems clear that it was used as a lantern by people who traveled the road this night, the scary face to frighten away spirits or faeries who might otherwise lead one astray. Set on porches and in windows, they cast the same spell of protection over the household. Bobbing for apples may well represent the remnants of a Pagan 'baptism' rite called a 'seining', according to some writers. The fact that the participant in this folk game was usually blindfolded with hands tied behind the back also puts one in mind of a traditional Craft initiation ceremony. However, there are some important differences from the modern version.