By Katherine Griscom
Halloween, a holiday celebrating all things eerie and chilling, is celebrated in some way almost all over the world. There is an increased interest in Halloween traditions in European countries, like Germany, England, and France, but the holiday is mostly celebrated in Canada and America. All over the world, you can find traditions similar to Halloween, whether it be a festival for the dead or for warding them off.
Halloween started out as an “ancient Celtic festival of Samhain,” according to History.com, celebrated by having massive bonfires and wearing costumes to scare off evil spirits. Most of the modern traditions are derived from the original Celtic holiday.
Some of the Catholic Culture was incorporated into the holiday later with All Saints Day being celebrated on November 1st and All Souls Day being on November 2nd. The evening before both said holidays was known as “Hallow’s Eve.” When the Irish Potato Famine struck, scores of Irish immigrants escaped to America and brought their traditions with them, where several traditions evolved into the Halloween we know and love today. While we have our Halloween, other parts of the world have their own customs and rituals somewhat resembling our holiday.
There are countless traditions that include celebrating or honoring the dead. Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead and one of the most famous “Halloween counterparts”, is largely celebrated in Latin America and Mexico. It is believed that on November 1st and 2nd the dead are allowed to cross into our world. Families build beautiful altars full of food and other things that their passed loved ones would enjoy.
Hallow’s Eve is a Catholic holiday celebrated the evening before All Saint’s Day. It is celebrated almost all over the world because of the vast outreach of the Catholic Church. Families visit and decorate the graves of their loved ones, and in some parts of the world, they leave food.
In China, they celebrate the Hungry Ghost Festival, which is a part of the Hungry Ghost Month. They give offerings of food, joss paper, clothing, jewelry, and sometimes even gold for spirits who are sad, lost, hungry, or were possibly unfortunate in their mortal lives. The festival lasts for fifteen days. The front row of theatres or other entertainment industries are left open and reserved for the spirits, and a spot is left open at family dinners. Several other traditions occur, which all take place in the name of these spirits.
Halloween is very big in Ireland and Scotland, largely because of Halloween’s Celtic origins. Typical traditions such as dressing in costume, trick or treating, and parties are alive and well in these countries.
The Obon Festival, also known as the Festival of Souls, is a Buddist tradition celebrated in Japan. It typically lasts for three days and is dedicated to helping their passed loved ones and ancestors find peace. Lanterns are hung in homes and on graves, and traditional Japanese foods are offered. It is believed the spirits are made welcomed when the traditional Bon dance is performed. It is not an official national holiday, but it is still popular and celebrated.
P’chum Ben, another Buddist Holiday, is very particular in Cambodia. Families visit temples and will make offerings of “sweet sticky rice and beans wrapped in banana leaves” according to Globaltiesus.org (Global Ties U.S.). It is dedicated to passed relatives who are believed to be active during the period. The offerings are for all spirits but especially to care for the ones in hell. It, like the Hungry Ghost Festival, lasts for fifteen days.
Of course, these are just a sample of the abounding traditions which are similar to Halloween. Almost every culture has its own day for the dead, and while Halloween may not be about honoring the dead like most versions around the world, it is still a fun holiday that should be cherished and used to have fun with friends and family.