Halloween is the favorite holiday of many people, but have you ever stopped to wonder how the ghoulish holiday is celebrated in other countries? First, let’s start with the origins of Halloween. Halloween is said to have been started by the Celtic people around two thousand years ago. It was called the Festival of Samhain; it represented the beginning of winter and according to Historic UK, “symbolized the boundary between the living and the dead.” The Celts believed that the dead visited the living on October 31, a belief that is still represented in 21st-century culture through costumes, movies and stories. Now that we have a little background knowledge, let’s talk about how other countries celebrate Halloween.
- China
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Halloween is not a popular holiday in China. It is only celebrated by people who have learned about it through Americans and is mostly used as a “theme night” for bars and restaurants. It isn’t a widespread celebration the way it is in the US. But that doesn’t mean the Chinese don’t enjoy the spooky side of life! In China, there is a more popular and widespread spooky celebration called the “Hungry Ghost Festival.” This festival is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month (aka Aug. 22, 2021) and is more of a ceremony than a celebration.
It is believed that ghosts walk among the living the whole month and therefore, people put out food for their ancestors and burn incense on a table full of family memorabilia such as photographs, paintings and writings. People also try to avoid being alone or doing anything dangerous this month because it is believed that the ghosts can be malicious towards their enemies. The month ends with the burning of money and possessions for the dead to take back with them to the other side.
- South Africa
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In Africa, Halloween has begun to gain popularity with the younger generation. With the influence of Western culture, Halloween has started being celebrated more than ever. But, with Halloween’s strong connections to witchcraft and pagan beliefs, many people refuse to celebrate the holiday because of religious differences. Although many people are against Halloween for this reason, others still try to enjoy the holiday.
One thing that is not popular in South Africa is Trick-or-Treating. It isn’t because they don’t like candy in South Africa, but it is a safety issue. Letting children go to strangers’ homes is already a little sketchy, but it is arguably more dangerous in South Africa than it is in America. But, that doesn’t mean South African’s can’t find other ways to celebrate! Like in China, some South African bars and nightclubs host Halloween themed parties and adults host Halloween parties in their homes.
- Mexico
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Like China, Mexico has a much more widely celebrated holiday that is similar to Halloween, and it’s called “Day of the Dead.” While Halloween is still celebrated by many people in Mexico, it is small-scale and mostly for children. Trick-or-Treating does occur on Halloween, but the celebrations do not compare to the “Day of the Dead” celebrations on November 1. Do not confuse Halloween with “Day of the Dead,” though; they are two separate holidays and should be treated as such!
Halloween is celebrated in many countries, but it still tends to be the most popular in the Western world. Are you ready for the big spooky day?