Halloween Customs Around the World
Halloween is not always celebrated around the world. The celebration has been imported into non-Western countries with many of the same European customs, such as trick-or-treating and carving pumpkins. However, many countries have their own native holidays that are similar to Halloween, honoring the spirits of the dead and ancestors. Does this Spark an idea?
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Austria
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Halloween was imported by American soldiers during World War II. Americans brought the ideas of costumes and trick-o- treating to Austria. However, All Hallows Eve is an indigenous festival that Austrians acknowledge by lighting candles and visiting the graves of deceased relatives. Folk customs include leaving bread, a bowl of water and a lighted lamp on the table to welcome back and comfort the spirits of dead ancestors.
Canada
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Canada's celebration of Halloween is the same as in the United States as far as trick-or-treating. However, fireworks and firecrackers have traditionally been part of the festivities. This custom has been curtailed recently, and police in many locales require those who use fireworks to take a safety training course and get a permit.
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China
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The Chinese have two holidays similar to Halloween called Teng Chieh and the Ghost Festival. Teng Chieh is held in the spring. The holiday is celebrated with fireworks, and writing lucky phrases on lanterns to ward off evil spirits. The seventh lunar month is called the Ghost Month, when the celebration culminates in the Ghost Festival. The primary rituals of the Ghost Festival are burning paper money, incense, and the offering of food to ancestors.
Germany
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Catholics in Germany celebrate Seleenwoche, or All Souls' Week between October 30 and early November, when people attend church to remember the dead. Rituals include leaving out bread and drinks for spirits of ancestors. Another custom is to put away all knives so the sharp points do not hurt returning spirits.
Mexico
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The Mexican day of honoring the dead is called Dias de los Muertos, or Days of the Dead, on November 1 and 2. The rituals include growing cempasúchil, or marigold flowers, during the year and drying the flowers before the celebration to lay on ofrendas, which are altars to the dead, and on the graves of departed loved ones. Figurines of skeletons depicted as engaging in everyday activities decorate home altars during this time. It is customary to clean graves and to have picnics at gravesides. One customary food served is Pan de Muerte or Day of The Dead bread, made in the shape of bones with a teardrop atop the bones. Another food is Calabaza en Tacha, or sweet pumpkin, prepared with cinnamon, pumpkin and pinocillo, or dark sugar cones.
United Kingdom
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Halloween originated in the United Kingdom among Celtic tribes who viewed it as the last day of summer. This was a time to refrain from consuming meat so that people could offer the most choice animals to the deceased ancestors. The Irish, instead of meat, ate dishes based on potatoes such as boxty pancakes and colcannon, or potato mash with milk, kale and leeks. The English ate soul cakes, which are flat cakes flavored with saffron, others spices and currants. Both Irish and English dishes contained coins, rings or other symbolic items to divine the future. These cakes were also set out for ancestors and fairies.
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- Photo Credit Whitby Abbey Grave Yard image by Rumble_g from Fotolia.com
