It’s spooky time, girlies! You know what that means: planning group costumes, figuring out where to go for Halloweekend, and hanging out at pumpkin patches with your girlfriends. I personally have never been big on Halloween, but this year, I’m growing a new sense of appreciation for the holiday! Something about fall and the opportunity to decorate my apartment, be outside with friends, and cuddle up with my cat to watch Hocus Pocus has been absolutely amazing for getting in the spirit.
Every year, Halloween is highly anticipated in the United States, making it one of the classic American holidays. Growing up here in the States, I had such an immersive experience when it came to Halloween. From grade school and on, I remember teachers coming up with fun, spooky activities to celebrate the holiday. Trick-or-treating was a staple rite of passage, and some of my fondest memories came from walking around different neighborhoods with my family and friends.
Here in the United States, we celebrate Halloween for the full 31 days of October. But when I got to thinking about this spook-tastic holiday, I wondered what it looks like worldwide! Without further ado, let’s take a trip around the world and explore what Halloween looks like in different cultures!
- Mexico
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Starting in the beautiful country of Mexico, Halloween has made its way into pop culture and become popular among the younger generations. “While children in Mexico also go trick-or-treating on Oct. 31, it acts as a primer for another celebration: el Día de los Muertos.” Dia de los Muertos takes place Nov. 1-2. The celebration is centered around the Mesoamerican holiday that dates back over 3,000 years!
On this day, families gather to welcome their loved ones who have passed, celebrate their ancestors, and connect with the dead. Día de los Muertos is also a widely known and celebrated holiday in the States. Disney even created a movie celebrating the Mexican Holiday; Coco, that tells the story of a boy’s family heritage and connection to Día de los Muertos!
During this holiday, families create “ofrendas,” or altars. “An ofrenda traditionally consists of seven tiers that symbolize the route to heaven and include objects that display the four elements: earth, wind, fire, and water. Other items to include are photographs of those who have died, their favorite foods, drinks, and anything else commemorating their life.
Dead bread, alebrijes or spirit animals, and sugar skulls can also be used to decorate the altar.” Ofrendas feature lots of color and families typically include “recuerdos” or memorabilia of their loved ones. Each ofrenda is customized specifically to the family member being celebrated.
The cultural significance of Día de los Muertos extends beyond Mexico; other countries in Central America use this holiday as a framework for their Halloween celebrations. Familia is so important within the Latino culture, and I love how in Mexico there’s an entire holiday for families to come together to celebrate and care for their loved ones!
- England
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Now it’s time for us to take a quick boat ride across the English Channel, bringing us to England! In England, Halloween has certainly grown in popularity; there are costume parties, and the younger generations have adopted some of the similar traditions seen in the United States. However, the holiday of Halloween is overshadowed by another named “Guy Fawkes Day.” Guy Fawkes Day celebrates the assassination of King James I by, you guessed it, Guy Fawkes, and is centered around religious liberation.
“Today, Guy Fawkes Day is celebrated in the United Kingdom and in several countries that were formerly part of the British Empire, with parades, fireworks, bonfires, and food. Straw effigies of Fawkes are tossed on the bonfire, as are — in more recent years in some places — those of contemporary political figures. Traditionally, children carried these effigies, called “Guys,” through the streets in the days leading up to Guy Fawkes Day and asked passersby for ‘A penny for the guy….’”
This holiday has been deemed England’s “weirdest” holiday. It’s definitely original and intriguing, to say the least!
- Japan
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Time to hop on a quick plane ride to our next country: Japan! In Japan, Halloween is considered a more recent holiday, and some Western traditions have been adopted. Children dress up, but there’s no trick-or-treating. Instead, families gather to dress up and have massive parades with everyone in full costume.
The Shibuya district in Tokyo has become a hotspot, drawing crowds of people dressed in intricate costumes ranging from spooky monsters to anime characters. Beyond the nightlife, Halloween influences retail and food trends, with seasonal decorations, limited-edition sweets, and pumpkin-flavored treats appearing throughout stores and cafes. The holiday offers a playful escape, emphasizing creativity and community over traditional scares.
The country loves to celebrate all throughout the month of October with different festivals and parades that are rooted in folklore and Eastern Traditions. Check out some of the biggest here.
- Ireland
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It’s time for another flight back to Europe; this time, we’re visiting Ireland, which many people may not know is considered the birthplace of Halloween! Halloween in Ireland traces its origins to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced “sow-in”), celebrated over 2,000 years ago. Samhain marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, when the Celts believed the boundary between the living and spirit worlds was at its thinnest. To ward off evil spirits, people lit bonfires and wore costumes made of animal skins, which likely shaped Halloween as we know it today.
Over time, these traditions evolved into modern Halloween customs, with trick-or-treating and carved pumpkins becoming part of the festivities. Even today, Halloween holds special significance in Ireland, with towns like Derry hosting some of Europe’s largest celebrations, blending ancient folklore with modern revelry.
Today in Ireland, Halloween is celebrated similarly to the other countries we’ve visited so far, with large costume parties and gatherings of family and friends.
I hope you enjoyed this Halloween world tour and learned about the different histories and traditions surrounding the holiday. There’s so much creativity and history behind the holiday; it really shows how much everyone loves an excuse to celebrate and have fun with their loved ones. I hope you have a spooktacular Halloween!
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