Halloween may conjure up images of scary costumes, buckets of candy, and pumpkin-spiced everything, but this time of year is celebrated in wildly different ways across the globe.
Halloween started as Samhain, an ancient Celtic festival that marked the end of the harvest season—a time when the boundary between the living and the dead was thought to be at its thinnest. Today, it’s celebrated around the world, but not always in the way you would expect.
Ireland stays true to its Celtic roots when it comes to Halloween, with traditional bonfires (meant to scare away evil spirits), eerie costumes, and plenty of spine-tingling storytelling that goes back to ancient times. Modern-day Ireland also hosts The Banks of the Foyle Halloween Carnival, a multi-day event that features spooky parades and fireworks.
Barmbrack, a sweet, fruit-packed bread, is a Halloween favorite in Ireland. Back in the 18th century, each loaf came with a fun surprise baked inside: a coin, stick, rag, pea, or ring, each holding a different fortune for the lucky (or unlucky!) eater. Find the ring? Wedding bells in your future. Get the pea? Uh-oh, looks like you won’t be getting married in the year ahead!
Celebrated over November 1st and 2nd, Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in Mexico is all about welcoming back the souls of deceased loved ones. To do this, families create elaborate ofrendas (altars) decorated with marigolds, sugar skulls (calaveras), and the favorite foods of the dead. Think tamales, pan de muerto (a sweet bread), and sometimes even tequila!
The streets light up with parades and people dressed as La Catrina (a skeleton lady in fancy attire). Far from being spooky, the holiday is a celebration of life and death, and a reminder that the dead are never really gone.
Halloween in Japan has taken on a life of its own in the form of cosplay and mind-blowing costumes. The biggest celebration takes place right on Tokyo’s famous Shibuya Crossing – a chaotic costume party with thousands of people showing off intricate outfits inspired by anime, manga, or video games. It's like Comic-Con collided with Halloween in the middle of the busiest intersection in the world.
The Kawasaki Halloween Parade, Japan’s largest Halloween event, is another must-see. Unlike most parades, you can’t just show up in costume—you have to apply and meet strict guidelines. But don’t worry if you don’t get in—watching is free and just as much fun!
Unlike the trick-or-treating we're used to, Fet Gede is a voodoo celebration. Held on November 2nd, Fet Gede honors the spirits of the dead with music and offerings to Baron Samedi, the top-hat-wearing spirit of the dead, and his family of lwa (spirits).
Graveyards are the epicenter of the festivities, with white-clad revelers dancing, sipping rum, and lighting candles as they feed their ancestors with food offerings.
Halloween in Italy shares some spooky elements with the rest of the world, but the main event is Giorno dei Morti (All Souls' Day) on November 2nd. On this day, families gather at cemeteries, cleaning and decorating graves with fresh flowers, especially chrysanthemums (a symbol of death), and leaving out food and drinks for the spirits.
In some regions, families bake sweet fave dei morti—cookies shaped like fava beans. This pre-Christian times treat symbolizes life and death and it’s often shared with neighbors and friends. In many rural areas, families also leave a place at the table for spirits and place candles in windows to guide them home.
On Halloween night, kids in the Philippines celebrate Pangangaluluwa (meaning ‘souling’), a tradition where children dress up as ghosts and go door-to-door singing songs and praying for souls stuck in purgatory. In return, they receive food or money—a custom that echoes trick-or-treating but with a spiritual twist.
The celebration continues into Undas (All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days), when people flock to cemeteries, clean graves, and light candles. In some areas, families even spend the night at the graves of their loved ones, sharing meals, playing games, and telling stories.
Although held on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month (sometime in August or early September), Yue Lan (Festival of the Hungry Ghosts) is somewhat similar to Halloween—a time when the spirits of the dead are believed to roam the Earth. To keep these spirits happy—and at bay—people offer food, burn joss paper (symbolic money), and host lively performances.
Hong Kong is also home to a modern, commercial Halloween scene, especially at Hong Kong Disneyland and Ocean Park (home to Asia’s largest Halloween-themed event). During the weeks leading up to Halloween, these parks transform into a spooky wonderland with haunted houses, eerie street shows, and costumed performers.
Whether you’re lighting candles for long-gone loved ones or donning your creepiest costume, Halloween is a night where the past and the supernatural come out to play—and let’s be honest, it’s all in good (spooky) fun!
November 4, 2024
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