The story
After Banquo in Shakespeare's Macbeth (1606); Macbeth murders Banquo, whose mutilated body subsequently appears at a feast as a ghost, unseen by all but Macbeth.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
ghost at the feast
Today it means: A presence that mars one's enjoyment by causing guilt or reviving unwelcome memories. Full definition →