The World Of Halloween

Every year in America on the evening of October 31, children and adults decorate homes and offices, attend parties, dress up in bizarre costumes and give and receive candy. In fact, over seventy percent of Americans become occupied with decorating their house or office for Halloween. Halloween is the holiday when the most candy is sold and is second only to Christmas in terms of total retail sales.

In America, young children ( accompanied by adults) knock on neighbors and strangers doors dressed as ghosts, vampires, and in all sorts of odd costumes to receive candy and other treats while saying “trick or treat.” I wondered if this same ritual occurred throughout the world every October and here is what I discovered about how other countries celebrate Halloween.

In Ireland, where Halloween originated under the name of “Samhain" ( Summer’s End) as a pagan festival, the day is still celebrated much as it is in the United States. In rural areas, bonfires are lit 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. A traditional food on Halloween is barnbrack, a kind of fruitcake that can be bought in stores or baked at home. .

In Austria, many people will leave bread, water, and a lighted lamp on the table on Halloween night. It was once believed such items would welcome the dead souls back to earth on a night which for the Austrians was considered to be brimming with strong cosmic energies.

The custom in Belgium on Halloween night is to light candles in memory of dead relatives.

In Canada, people welcome trick or treaters on Halloween with jack o’ lanterns on window sills and porches. Children dressed as witches, ghosts, and goblins go hunting for goodies and are given treats.

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 in order to light the paths of the spirits as they travel the earth on Halloween night.

In Czechoslovakia, chairs are placed by the fireside on Halloween night. There is one chair for each living family member and one for each family member's spirit.

The English, for the most part, stopped celebrating Halloween as Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation began to spread. However; in the last five years, Halloween has made a comeback in England. Now, adults often dress up to attend costume parties, pub parties, and club parties on Halloween night.

Unlike most nations of the world, Halloween is not celebrated by the French in order to honor the dead and departed ancestors. It is regarded as an "American" holiday in France and was virtually unknown in the country until around 1996. However, like England, Halloween popularity is beginning to grow in France with many adult costume parties and store decorations.

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 bring comfort to the ghosts.

The Japanese celebrate the "Obon Festival" which is similar to Halloween festivities in that it is dedicated to the spirits of ancestors. Special foods are prepared and bright red lanterns are hung everywhere. Candles are lit and placed into lanterns which are then set afloat on rivers and seas. During the "Obon Festival," a fire is lit every night in order to show the ancestors where their families might be found

In Korea, the festival similar to Halloween is known as "Chusok." It is at this time that families thank their ancestors for the fruits of their labor. The family pays respect to these ancestors by visiting their tombs and making offerings of rice and fruits. The "Chusok" festival takes place in the month of August.

Halloween is a religious festival with celebrations spanning two days in Mexico and Spain. On November 1, All Saints’ Day, Catholics attend church to honor the saints and martyrs of the faith. People visit the gravesites of the deceased and often a mass is observed at the gravesites praying for the peace of the dead. November 2 is All Souls’ Day, when the people attend special requiem masses and light votive candles and say special prayers for the dead. The black cat is considered bad luck and is never allowed in homes.

In Sweden, Halloween is known as "Alla Helgons Dag" and is celebrated from October 31 until November 6. As with many other holidays, "Alla Helgons Dag" has an eve which is either celebrated or becomes a shortened working day. The Friday prior to All Saint's Day is a short day for universities while school-age children are given a day of vacation.

In Thailand, the festival of Phi Ta Khon is a type of procession with music and a parade of masks that accompany the image of the sacred Buddha. During this procession the young village men, dressed up as ghosts and spirits, poke fun at the other villagers as they recite the story of Buddha's last reincarnation.

Halloween, one of the world’s oldest holidays, is still celebrated today in many countries around the globe, but it is in North America and Canada that it maintains its highest level of popularity.

Many countries, many festivals, rituals, and observances. Spirits, ghosts, vampires, devils, costume parties, black cats, witches, pumpkins, jack o’ lanterns, fireworks, and bonfires: the world of Halloween.

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