Are you excited about Halloween? Well, we are!
This Halloween, besides “Dressing Up” and “Trick or Treating,” we decided to dig into the roots of Halloween. And how different communities adopted Halloween to fit their local beliefs.
We learnt some super cool facts about Halloween. Let’s check them out!
1. Day of the Dead, Mexico:
One of the oldest Halloween rituals is the Mexican Day of the Dead. Families and friends visit the graves of the deceased and spend the day there. They bring drinks and Pan de Muerto (bread of the dead) along with flowers and other favorites of the departed.
Photo credit: Rob Sheridan
2. Devil’s Night, North America:
Have you heard of the famous Devil’s Night? North American cities, including New England, South Dakota, and Detroit, played innocent pranks the night before Halloween. Well, some not very safe, like setting abandoned buildings on fire, were also prevalent.
3. Guy Fawkes Night & Carving Beets, United Kingdom:
Guy Fawkes Night, very similar to the Celtic Samhain, is a night of celebration. The United Kingdom gets lit with bonfires, fireworks, and effigies in flames. And that’s not all, Halloween also brings some traditional Beetroot-carving fun!
4. Hide the knives, Germany:
Germans share the belief of the deceased visiting Earth on Halloween night like Austrians. But, instead of putting food and drinks, they hide knives before going to bed.
5. Save the seat, Czech Republic:
In the Czech Republic, they save the best seats around the bonfire for the departed loved ones. They believe that the spirits come back to have fun on Halloween.
6. Leave a snack out & the lights on, Austria:
Austrians leave bread, water, and a lantern that burns all night on Halloween night. These arrangements are to welcome the spirits of the deceased back to Earth.
7. Make the Queimada, Spain:
The Spanish celebrate Halloween for three days, along with a unique Queimada-making tradition. Queimada is an alcoholic drink made with wine, herbs, citrus, and coffee thoroughly mixed in a hollow pumpkin.
8. Dress up & show up, Japan:
The Japanese love Halloween and have fantastic parties. There are many week-long events, parades, and parties across Japan. Shibuya, Roppongi, Kawasaki, and Tokyo Disney are among the popular ones. All you have to do is dress up and show up!
Did you know?
Halloween is easily one of the most awaited holidays. People across the world celebrate it with great pomp and show. But did you know that Halloween is more than 2000 years old?
The Celts, who lived in modern-day Ireland, celebrated a festival called Samhain. They used to dress up and light bonfires. The belief was that spirits tried to reach Earth on the night of 31st October. And these rituals were to ward off the wandering souls. This Celtic tradition evolved to become “All Hallows Eve” around the eighteenth century and “Halloween” later.
Thereon, many countries recreated Halloween with many local rituals.
Do you know some other such celebrations? Share with other readers and us in the comments section!