How Halloween is celebrated in different countries

2. Halloween, one of the world’s oldest holidays, is still celebrated
today in a number of countries around the globe. All of them
dedicated the night to the dead, and created unique traditions
to please them or aid them in passing on to the other side.
These are 10 ways different countries celebrate Halloween.

3. Austria
Instead of serving up candy every year, the
people of Austria have a different way of
celebrating Halloween. Every year people
leave water, bread and a lit lamp on their
tables just before going to bed. It is
believed that doing so on this particular
night will welcome back dead souls to the
Earth.

4. Austrian Catholics use this time to celebrate
Seleenwoche, also known as All Saints Week,
between the 30th of October and the 2nd of
November.
During this time, masses are held and families decorate
the graves of their loved ones with lanterns and
wreaths. On the final day of Seleenwoche, a large
requiem mass is held to remember those who have
passed on.

5. China
In China, a Halloween festival called
Teng Chieh is held every year. During
this time the Chinese put food and
water in front of photographs of their
departed relatives. There are also
bonfires and lanterns that are lit in
hopes of guiding spirits on a path back
to Earth.

6. Those in Buddhist temples
create paper boats called “boats
of the law” which are later
burned in the evening. This is
done for two reasons; to
remember the dead and to free
spirits of “pretas” so that they
might ascend to heaven.

7. “Pretas” are spirits of those who died in an
accident and whose bodies were never buried.
These wandering spirits are considered to be
dangerous and as a result many carry out
ceremonies to aid them in their journey to
the afterlife.

8. England
Instead of carving pumpkins the English used to carve beetroots
and called them “punkies”. “Punkies” in hand, the children then
proceed to go from door to door asking for money. In some areas
turnip lanterns were placed in front of homes to keep away spirits
who roamed the night on Halloween. Another custom was to
throw objects such as stones, chestnuts and vegetables into a large
bonfire in hopes of scaring away spirits.

9. The objects were also used as devices for
fortune telling. For example, if a pebble was
thrown in the fire and was no longer visible
the following morning, then it was believed
that the person who threw the pebble would
not survive another year. Now more and more
British children have adopted the American
“trick or treating” tradition.

10. France
The French don’t celebrate Halloween to honor the
departed like other countries do - in fact they didn’t
really know what Halloween was until only a short
while ago. Although they’d heard about Halloween
from foreigners and American media outlets, the
French didn’t start celebrating Halloween till the
mid-1990s.

11. Much like with American Halloween, people in
France get dressed up in costumes and go store
to store instead of home to home to get their
candy. Halloween is viewed as an American
holiday and for this reason many French
residents do not know what exactly is being
celebrated, as it is something that is considered a
by-product of corporate America.

12. Ireland
Most people consider Ireland to be the
birthplace of Halloween, and it’s really not
so different from the well-known American
Halloween festivities. Like in the States, the
Irish dress up, go trick-or-treating and attend
parties. At theses parties, games are played to
pass the time.

13. “Snap-apple” is a popular game played by
tying an apple to a string then hanging it on a
tree or doorframe where participants then try
to take a bite out of it. Treasure hunts are also
arranged as well as a card game where face
down cards are hiding either candy or money,
and the participant receives whatever is under
the card of their choice.

14. Mexico
In Mexico Halloween is called “El Dia
de los Muertos” or days of the dead.
The event begins the evening of
October 31st and ends on November
2nd. The day is spent by the graves of
lost loved ones, picnicking and
celebrating their lives.

15. The dead are believed to return to their homes on this
night, so in preparation of this, altars are constructed
and decorated with candy, flowers, water, photographs
and portions of the deceased’s favourite food and
drink. On November 2nd families then have picnics by
their loved ones' graves and tend to their final resting
place by cutting weeds, repairing where necessary and
even painting.

16. Japan
Though they know about Halloween, the Japanese
do not celebrate it in the same manner as
Americans do. Instead the Japanese celebrate the
Obon Festival, (also known as “Matsuri or
“Urabon”) a festival dedicated to the spirits of their
ancestors.

17. “Welcoming fires” are lit to guide spirits back to their
homes and then “send-off fires” are lit after the
festivities are over with. For those in the city, small
fires are lit and placed in memory of the departed,
and are left outside overnight.
Red lancers are hung around the area for the
festivities, and candles are then lit and placed into
the lanterns which are sent to float down rivers
and seas.

18. Philippines
In the Philippines – like most countries –
Halloween is more focused on the dead and
celebrating their lives than what we overseas are
used to. Though the influence of American
Halloween is gradually starting to spread in the
Philippines, the tradition of Pangangaluluwa is
still being celebrated.

19. People go from house to house and sing
songs about the souls trapped in purgatory,
and in exchange ask for food or money. It is
said that during Halloween, loved ones
manifest themselves by talking items. These
items are then supposedly found in the yard
the morning after.

20. Scotland
Halloween was first celebrated in Scotland in
the 16th century. At first people would try and
predict the future on Halloween and by the
18th century most Halloween customs were
methods by which young people would search
for a spouse.

21. Costumes were common during
Scotland’s Halloweens as early as the
late 19th century. Children would go
door to door asking for food or money
while “guising” in costumes. This is very
similar to American Halloween
traditions which are more of the norm
in Scotland nowadays.

22. The United states of
AmericaAmerican Halloween is by far the most
popular and well known way of celebrating
the holiday. Children dress up in costumes
and go door to door in their neighborhoods
trick or treating, bringing home bags of
candy. Costume parties are held where
people play games, eat and drink.

23. Pumpkins are carved for decoration and lit with
a candle. These Jack-o'-lanterns have become
one of the holiday’s most identifiable
trademarks.
Originally the term trick or treat came from the
idea that kindness must be shown to dead
ancestors to avoid them playing tricks on you.
Now it's more of a courteous way of asking for
candy.

24. THE END