Thinking about how Halloween night is experienced in the United States is to imagine the candy, pumpkins, ghosts, witches, houses of terror, and costume parties, which are the protagonists of the darkest night of the year. However, the ‘Witches’ Night’ is celebrated every October 31. Of Celtic origin, its greatest exponent being the United States, it is celebrated differently around the world.
How can Halloween night mean so many different things? Just like the people who created them, human customs always have multiple faces and meanings that change depending on each person’s point of view or relationship with them, which is why people interpret them differently depending on the locality. or region that they are in although the essence is the same.
How to experience the most anticipated night in October
If we focus on the Western version of the holiday, which has its origins in Europe and whose diffusion and popularization occurred in Anglo-Saxon countries in one way and in those with Catholic tradition in another, Halloween began as a night in which the connection with The astral plane, the spirit world, was stronger and therefore there was the possibility of encountering the ghost of someone who had died walking around.
The passage of time and the growth of the marketing industry and consumer culture have meant that a holiday based on spirituality has become a special occasion to have fun and get away from the monotony of everyday life. If there’s one thing that today’s Halloween continues to resemble the original, it’s that dressing up as the dead makes us feel more alive. Precisely because of the spiritual root that the festival has, based on reunion and connection with the deceased, it has turned out to be global in function although different in execution.
Germany
Halloween celebrations are not old in Germany, but the old traditions associated with the Day of the Dead are deep-rooted and are evident on this night. In addition to the costumes popularized around the world, the custom indicates keeping knives to prevent returning spirits from being harmed. Nowadays, in major cities, particularly university towns, young people gather and party in local clubs and bars.
Halloween only started to catch on mainly in Bavaria a few decades ago. Many celebrate by attending the Pumpkin Festival in Retzer Land or touring the ancient ruins of Burg Frankenstein Castle, which is where the horror story of Frankenstein began. These spooky Halloween legends refuse to die in this country.
Australia
In Australia, it is also a tradition that is becoming more and more widespread. The streets are decorated and ghost tours are taken through abandoned houses or “cursed” or “haunted” places. Everyone dresses up, the children go door to door collecting candy and the adults have themed parties. It is also very typical to decorate houses and gardens with elements such as spider webs, pumpkins, and special effects. In addition, the parks usually show horror movies and do scary activities and readings.
Austria
As in Germany, the original connotations of this festival were religious, and young people have imposed celebrations and costumes in recent decades. Traditionally, the date of October 31st falls within the week of the souls which extends from October 30th to November 8th. A week when believers come to their churches to honor their dead. As part of these celebrations, people must leave water, bread, and a lit lamp to welcome the spirits and share this day.
Canada
The celebrations in Canada are similar in many ways to those of its American neighbors. Children take to the streets in costumes asking for candy through “Trick or Treat.” However, it is just another working day that does not alter daily activities. Similarities also include decorating homes and gardens, carving pumpkins, and contests and competitions among neighbors for the best productions. Part of the contests are intended to raise funds that are destined for charitable purposes, for example, to help children’s and educational causes.
Among the typical Halloween foods, caramelized apples, roasted corn, pumpkin pie, and obviously, sweets and chocolates of all kinds became famous. of course chocolates and sweets of all kinds.
South Korea
The festival of the harvest and the dead in Korea is called Chuseok. It takes place for three days and is celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, in September. It is a thanksgiving celebration, where South Koreans visit their hometowns and share a traditional feast to pay their respects to their ancestors. Families gather to thank relatives who have died by offering altars with fruits, rice, and prayers.
Halloween as we know it takes place specifically in some districts of Seoul, such as Itaewon. There, the streets are closed to car traffic, and shops and street stalls are set up, with a wide variety of options, including live music, costume contests, and lots of drinks. Additionally, most of the restaurants, clubs, and bars in this neighborhood organize different events where everyone gets together to spend the nights.
China
Halloween is a celebration that has become very popular around the world, and those who live in big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong also join in the common celebrations. However, China has its celebrations for the dead. From the 15th day of the seventh lunar month, which runs from mid-August to mid-September, people celebrate the Hungry Ghost Festival or Teng Chieh.
In several Asian regions they believe that during this time of year, spirits become restless and begin to wander the world. This festival is a way to feed these spirits, through the food and money they would need in the afterlife. People make offerings in the street to celebrate and honor the dead, and light candles, as they believe it is the way to guide the spirits. They offer them food and some objects that could be useful to them, such as incense and matches, or water and salt.
Spain
American-style Halloween is a new phenomenon in Spain, but its popularity is growing among children and college students. Some towns are decorated and festivals are held in different cities.
Catholic celebrations for the Day of the Dead have been a tradition for centuries, and October 31 is known locally as “El Día de las Brujas” (Witches’ Day). In addition, this day is also known as “The Day of the Pumpkins” in the region of Galicia. The next day, November 1, is known as “All Saints’ Day,” and people go to cemeteries to visit the graves of their relatives, decorating them with flowers to honor and remember them. This is a non-working day in almost the entire country.
Britain
In this country, Halloween is a celebration almost exclusively for children. Much importance is given to the gastronomic side. Sweets and desserts are prepared with vanilla and chocolate eyes, witches’ potions, witches’ fingers, and others of this type, such as insects, worms, etc. One of the most curious things done in London is the celebration of the London Zombie Walk, a parade where thousands of costumed people walk through the streets of the capital. During the parade, participants visit different pubs and taste themed dishes and cocktails.
A curiosity of the Scots during Halloween is to throw nuts into the bonfires. If the nuts crack and crack loudly, the couple will not soon hear the ringing of their wedding bells. If you roast each other in silence, your relationship will move in peace. These nuts are very traditional in the country, as are the tasty sweets.
Greece
In Greece, Halloween is celebrated not as part of a tradition but as a result of globalization. However, the Greeks celebrate a similar event: the Apokrias. This takes place in February, and the children dress up and call their friends to see if they can guess their identities. Sweets, especially cakes or sweets, are distributed in large cities, and carnival-type parades are held on the main streets. Among the traditions of these celebrations, they have their own recipe for Greek-style pumpkin pie, called Kolokythopita.
Ireland
Some Irish resist the North American tradition and continue celebrating their ancient festival in honor of the greatest harvest, “Samhain.” Ireland is considered the birthplace of Halloween and its origins date back to ancient Celtic and pagan rituals during the festivities of Samhain, or Samhuinn (end of half the light of the year).
This harvest festival is estimated to have begun to be celebrated in Celtic towns around the year 100 AD. During that night, at the end of October, it was believed that the dead visited the world of the living. During those days, bonfires were lit and the fire was kept to keep evil spirits away. Also, as part of the ritual, people dressed up like them to go unnoticed. The celebrations even last throughout the week.
Today, both Ireland and Scotland celebrate Halloween with bonfires, games, and traditional foods like barmbrack, an Irish fruitcake containing coins, buttons, and rings that must be found. For example, rings mean marriage, while coins mean wealth. The typical drink on Halloween night is Lamb’s Woos, which is made with roasted apples, milk, and beer.
Italy
All Saints’ Day, November 1, is a national holiday in Italy, better known as Ognissanti. These festivities begin a couple of days before, when people begin to leave fresh flowers, usually chrysanthemums, on the graves of deceased loved ones, and also on those of strangers, turning the country’s cemeteries into a beautiful display of colors. Italians also pay tribute to the deceased by placing a red candle in the window at sunset and preparing a place at the table for those spirits they hope will visit them.
A particularity of the country is that on the island of Sardinia, Halloween has been celebrated for centuries, by carving pumpkins. The locals call them Concas de Mortu, which means heads of the dead.
Japan
Every late October for the past few decades, they gather in Kawasaki, outside Tokyo, to celebrate the Kawasaki Halloween Parade, which is the largest parade of its kind in Japan. But this is not a festival for everyone, the Kawasaki Halloween Parade has very strict guidelines and standards, among which it is required to apply for entry up to two months before the start.
Since Halloween is not a native holiday in Japan, the popularity it has achieved has driven its realization. And what makes it really fun and exciting in Tokyo, and other big cities, is the wonderful costumes that are displayed. Cosplay is already a big part of Japanese youth culture, making dressing up for Halloween an acquired part for those who celebrate it. Halloween colors are orange and black.
But in addition, the Japanese celebrate the Obon Festival, also known as “Matsuri” or “Urabon”, which is similar to Halloween in the sense that it is dedicated to the spirits of ancestors and takes place during July or August.
Madagascar
In Madagascar, Halloween is celebrated in a very curious way. The festival is known as Famadihana, which literally means “Funeral Home.” What they celebrate is an eventual return of the dead to the plane of the living.
People go to cemeteries to “remove the bodies of their deceased.” The remains of exhumed bodies are dressed or wrapped in shrouds, regardless of the condition of the corpse. Together, they gather in grand parades, dances, and live music. Each family member digs up their dead every 7 years. It is the perfect opportunity for the entire family to, in some way, show their love and respect to deceased relatives.
This story was written in Spanish by Perla Vallejo in Ecoosfera
