Few fall traditions feel as classic as bobbing for apples — that splash of laughter, chilly water, and shiny red fruit floating in a wooden tub. But beneath this wholesome game lies a strange mix of romance, fortune-telling, and superstition that goes back centuries.
From Ancient Harvest Rituals
The roots of bobbing for apples reach all the way back to ancient Celtic and Roman traditions. When the Romans conquered Britain, they brought with them a harvest festival honoring Pomona, the goddess of fruit and trees. Her symbol was — you guessed it — the apple.
Over time, Celtic Samhain celebrations (the holiday that inspired Halloween) mixed with Pomona’s harvest customs. Apples became symbols of fertility, love, and life after death. It wasn’t long before people started using them in games and fortune-telling rituals.
The Love Game
In the 17th and 18th centuries, bobbing for apples wasn’t just a kids’ activity. It was a romantic divination game for young adults. Each apple in the tub represented a potential suitor. If a girl could bite into one on her first try, it meant she’d marry that person. A second or third attempt predicted a rockier road to love. It was lighthearted fun, but many people believed the results revealed their romantic fate.
From Parlor Game to Halloween Classic
As time passed, apple bobbing lost its romantic meaning and became a common party game, especially during fall harvest celebrations in the U.S. By the early 1900s, it was a Halloween staple — a simple, safe way to bring friends and families together for some messy fun.
A Splash of Spookiness
Even though it’s playful today, bobbing for apples still carries a hint of mystery. Apples have long been tied to the supernatural — from the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden to the idea that slicing one open on Halloween night could reveal your future lover’s initials. The water, too, symbolizes the barrier between the living and the spirit world in old folklore. So that innocent tub of apples? It’s got centuries of magic and myth swirling around in it.
Why We Still Love It
In an era of haunted houses and high-tech scares, there’s something charming about a game so simple and traditional. Bobbing for apples connects us to old harvest festivals, early Halloween traditions, and that shared excitement of fall gatherings.
So next time you see a tub of apples at a festival or fall fair, remember — you’re taking part in a tradition that’s been around for over two thousand years. And maybe, just maybe, there’s still a little magic floating in that water.
Lisa Crow contributed to this article. She is a true crime junkie and lifestyle blogger based in Waco, Texas. Lisa is the Head of Content at Gigi’s Ramblings and Southern Bred True Crime Junkie. She spends her free time traveling when she can and making memories with her large family which consists of six children and fifteen grandchildren.