Halloween is upon us, time for some fun and frivolity with the kids. Alongside the dressing up as witches and wizards, trick and treating and other seasonal pursuits, a traditional game of Bobbling For Apples is still a favourite.The game dates back to the Romans, who celebrated Pomona, the Goddess of Fruit and Trees. Their traditional annual festival to celebrate the Goddess was incorporated into the Celtic October festival of Samhain, when bobbing for apples became popular. The Romans originally used this game to determine who would be the next to marry.  But these days it’s associated with the Halloween holiday. The idea is to float whole fresh apples in a tub of water. Children put their heads in the tub and try to catch the apples with their teeth.  No hands allowed.  It’s a game that is still played safely at home, with adult supervision of course.  Expect lots of shrieking and soaking wet kids afterwards, but they will have fun. Irish new season apples are a perfect fruit for this old Halloween game.   In shops and markets from early October, following the apple harvest.