October 31 is celebrated in Mexico.
Photo: Shutterstock
On October 31, Halloween is celebrated almost all over the world. This holiday is most often associated with pumpkin carving, decorations and ghostly stories, but the event is celebrated differently in different countries.
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It turns out that Halloween is one of the oldest festivals, whose roots go back several thousand years. Until the seventh century AD, All Saints’ Day was May 13th. However, chronicles say that in the eighth century AD, Pope Boniface called for a change in the date of the celebration to coincide with the time when the Celts performed magical rituals.
Today, both the eve of All Saints ‘Day on October 31 and the All Saints’ Day on November 1 are celebrated. The origin and history of the festival is rich, because Halloween is formed from different cultures and customs.
Traditions in countries such as Ireland, Canada and the United States include costume parties, tricks, jokes and games, while Mexico and other Latin American countries, as well as Australia, commemorate the deceased’s relatives and ancestors on the day, performing rituals and various ceremonies.
That’s why, before the holiday, National Geographic provides an insight into how the world-famous Halloween is celebrated in different countries.
Ireland: the birthplace of All Saints’ Day eve
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One of the symbols of Halloween is a carved pumpkin or “Jack – o ‘- lantern” with a burning candle inside. It turns out that this tradition was introduced by the Irish at the beginning of the 20th century, and since then they have been the most ardent holiday celebrants. Not only that, but also the various other traditions that are practiced around the world today, dating back to the Celtic Samhain Festival in Ireland, about a thousand years ago.
Irish people today have similar customs to the United States. Namely, just like in Celtic times, in rural areas people light a campfire, but in cities everyone dresses in costumes, attends parties and plays various games.
One of the traditional dishes prepared in almost every Irish house on the eve of Halloween is colkanon or hearty mashed potatoes. The Irish also traditionally eat sweet bread called ‘barnback’ at festivities. Inside the cake, various symbolic objects are usually baked, such as a ring, a bean, a coin and a note that foretells the future of the eater.
To find out more, watch a variety of shows and films around the world on National Geographic on October 31 throughout the day.
Mexico: great makeup, masks and street music
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When the bright local customs of Latin America merge with European traditions, a double celebration is formed. Namely, Mexico celebrates Halloween on 31 October and celebrates “El Día de Los Muertos” on the first and second of November.
In Mexico, the festivities begin on time. On the eve of All Saints’ Day, the streets are decorated with colorful masks, people with great makeup and music all around. The cities are full of people dressed as witches, devils, skeletons and ghosts.
The day after Halloween, people build altars in their family cemeteries, light candles, and set rich tables at home to gather family and friends. They believe that these days the souls of the departed come to their relatives and participate in the party, therefore the Mexicans look forward to the “Day of Remembrance of the Dead” with a party.
Although death is mentioned everywhere, it is important to understand that this is not a scary or sad holiday. On the contrary, it is a celebration of the past and present that awaits with joy.
Japan: Celebrate on trains and go on a parade
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While in other parts of the world, children celebrate Halloween the most, in Japan the eve of All Saints’ Day is very exciting for adults. The most prestigious event on October 31 in Japan is the Kawasaki Parade. About 4,000 people go there, but not everyone is allowed to be part of the parade.
It turns out that such an atypical place as trains in Halloween is becoming one of the most modern celebration venues for parties. This movement began in the 1990s and is still known today.
Halloween in Japan is clearly not an imitation of the American version. Namely, in the land of the rising sun, people are waiting for a holiday to stand out and show off their costumes, but other traditions do not cultivate so much. On the eve of All Saints’ Day, people do not dress up as ghosts or monsters, but as heroes of “manga” or “anime” – various characters of cartoons and animations, which are also loved by adults.
Romania: Celebration at Dracula’s Castle
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The most popular destination and the busiest city in Romania in the autumn months is definitely Transylvania – the home of the vampire Count Dracula. Every year, people from almost all over the world travel to Dracula’s Castle to take part in the celebrations on October 31st.
The smoky castle at the top of the hill is one of the most popular destinations in Romania. There are also several excursions to Brana Castle, which is Dracula’s home, but on the evening of All Saints’ Day there is fun.
Visitors can also visit the Turda salt mines and the 12th-century town of Sighisoara, Dracula’s birthplace, which is shrouded in legends.
Germany: pumpkin festivals
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Halloween became popular in Germany in the 21st century. It has only gradually gained recognition, especially among the younger generations. For the most part, holiday costumes are ghostly and terrifying, because in this land, the eve of All Saints’ Day is considered a terrible and dark event, which must be dressed appropriately.
However, the most important event in Germany during Halloween is the many pumpkin festivals, where there is a huge berry carving and horseback riding. Significantly, the world’s largest pumpkin festival takes place in Ludwigsburg, southern Germany. At the festival, people show their pumpkins, admire art and allow themselves to have fun. The event can be attended for several weeks, until December.
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