Halloween Around the World

Last Updated on February 12, 2024 by Travelationship

Ask me anytime, and my answer has always been the same: my favorite holiday is Halloween. Halloween is one of the world’s oldest holidays and is celebrated to this day in several countries around the globe. North America, particularly the US and Canada, maintains the highest level of participation in this holiday. Typically, 65% of all Americans partake in the decoration of their homes and offices, making it second only to Christmas in levels of participation. What about some of the other countries around the world?

Halloween Throughout The Globe

Ireland

In Ireland, where Halloween originated, the day is still celebrated much as it is in the United States. In rural areas, bonfires are lit as they were in the days of the Celts, and all over the country, children get dressed up in costumes and spend the evening “trick-or-treating” in their neighborhoods. After trick-or-treating, most people attend parties with neighbors and friends. At the parties, many games are played, including “snap-apple,” a game in which an apple on a string is tied to a doorframe or tree, and players attempt to bite the hanging apple. In addition to bobbing for apples, parents often arrange treasure hunts, with candy or pastries as the “treasure.”

The Irish also play a card game where cards are laid face down on a table with candy or coins underneath them. When a child chooses a card, he receives whatever prize is found below it. A traditional food eaten on Halloween is barmbrack, a fruitcake that can be bought in stores or baked at home. A muslin-wrapped treat is baked inside the cake that, it is said, can foretell the eater’s future. If a ring is found, the person will soon be wed; a piece of straw means a prosperous year is coming. Children are also known to play tricks on their neighbors, such as “knock-a-dolly,” a prank in which children knock on the doors of their neighbors but run away before the door is opened.

Halloween in Ireland

Austria

In Austria, some people will leave bread, water, and a lighted lamp on the table before retiring on Halloween night. The reason for this is that it was once believed such items would welcome the dead souls back to earth on a night that was considered brimming with strong cosmic energies for the Austrians.

China

In China, the Halloween festival is known as Teng Chieh. Food and water are placed in front of photographs of family members who have departed, while bonfires and lanterns are lit to light the paths of the spirits as they travel the earth on Halloween night. Worshippers in Buddhist temples fashion “boats of the law” from paper, some of which are huge, and then burn in the evening.

The purpose of this custom is twofold: to remember the dead and to free the spirits of the “pretas” so that they might ascend to heaven. “Pretas” are the spirits of those who died due to an accident or drowning and whose bodies were never buried. The presence of “pretas” among the living is thought by the Chinese to be dangerous. Under the guidance of Buddhist temples, societies are formed to carry out ceremonies for the “pretas,” which include the lighting of lanterns. Monks are invited to recite sacred verses and offerings of fruit are presented.

Halloween in China

Germany

In Germany, people put away their knives on Halloween night. This is because they do not want to risk harm to (or from) the returning spirits.

Halloween in Germany

Hong Kong

The Halloween celebration in Hong Kong is known as “Yue Lan” (Festival of the Hungry Ghosts) and is a time when it is believed that spirits roam the world for twenty-four hours. Some people burn pictures of fruit or money at this time, believing these images would reach the spirit world and comfort the ghosts. Fires are lit, and food and gifts are offered to placate potentially angry ghosts who might be looking for revenge.

Halloween in Hong Kong

Mexico, Latin America & Spain

Among New World Spanish-speaking nations, particularly Mexico and Aztec-influenced Latin America, Halloween is known as “El Dia de Los Muertos.” The translation is “The Days of the Dead,” which is a three-day celebration that begins on the evening of October 31 and culminates on November 2. This is an ancient festivity that has been transformed throughout the years. It was initially intended in prehistoric Mexico to celebrate children and the dead. Mexican families remember their dead and the continuity of life. It is a joyous and happy holiday to remember friends and family who have died.

Officially commemorated on November 2 (All Souls’ Day), the three-day celebration begins on the evening of October 31. Designed to honor the dead who are believed to return to their homes on Halloween, many families construct an altar in their homes and decorate it with candy, flowers, photographs, fresh water, and samples of the deceased’s favorite foods and drinks. Frequently, a basin and towel are left out so the spirit can wash before indulging in the feast. Candles and incense are burned to help the departed find their way home. On November 2, relatives gather at the gravesite to picnic and reminisce. Relatives also tidy the gravesites of deceased family members, including snipping weeds, making repairs, and painting. The grave is then adorned with flowers, wreaths, or paper streamers.

True Connection with Loved Ones

They bring picnics and sit around the grave sites, sharing stories of the departed and feasting on foods such as spicy meat dishes, batter bread, and lots of sweets, some shaped like skulls. The abundance of food, drink, and good company creates a festive atmosphere, along with recognizing the cycle of life by the interaction of the living with the dead. Some of these gatherings may even include tequila and a mariachi band, although American Halloween customs are gradually taking over this celebration. In Mexico, during the autumn, countless Monarch butterflies return to the shelter of Mexico’s oyamel fir trees. The Aztecs believed that these butterflies bore the spirits of dead ancestors.

In the villages, parades are held. People dress as skeletons and dance in the streets. Often, a live person is placed inside a coffin and paraded through the streets while vendors toss fruit, flowers, and candies into the casket. Home feasts are held, and loaves of bread, “Bread of the Dead,” are given. Inside the loaves are sugar skeletons or other items of the death motif. This gift is more prized if the skull or skeleton is embossed with one’s name. The families also attend candle-lit ceremonies in church and offer prayers. The whole celebration is about life from beginning to end.

El Dia de los Muertos
El Dia de los Muertos
El Dia de los Muertos

South Korea

In South Korea, a festival similar to Halloween is known as “Chuseok.” At this time, families thank their ancestors for the fruits of their labor. The family respects these ancestors by visiting their tombs and offering rice and fruits. The “Chuseok” festival takes place in August.

Halloween in Korea

Sweden

In Sweden, Halloween is known as “Alla Helgons Dag” and is celebrated from October 31 until November 6. Like many other holidays, “Alla Helgons Dag” has an eve that is either celebrated or becomes a shortened working day. The Friday before All Saint’s Day is a short day for universities, while school-age children are given a day of vacation.

Halloween in Sweden

How Do You Celebrate Halloween?

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