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Halloween Rituals Around the World
For most of us North Americans, Halloween conjured images of mountains of candy, jack-o-lanterns, cheesy decorations and music at the neighbours house, drunk pubcrawlers wearing completely ridiculous outfits that they would never dream of wearing normally. And for us Canadian prairie kids in particular, we remember with fondness how our moms tried valiantly to fit our costumes over top of our snowsuits and how we would inevitably reach a point where we were just too cold to keep going, despite the 20 more blocks of free candy that was up for grabs. Ahhh, good times. But, have you ever wondered what they do for Halloween in other countries? I did a little research and here's a small sampling of what I found:
- In China, food and water is placed in front of photos of deceased family members to honour them
- In Belgium, they really believe in the black cat superstition, and it's bad news if one enters your house
- In the Czech Republic, a fire is built and chairs for deceased people are placed beside it.
- In Ireland, where Halloween originated, bonfires are lit across the country and many people hold parties, complete with festivities like apple-bobbing.
- In Latin America and Spain, they celebrate El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) -- and though it might seem like a sombre day, it's actually quite the celebration -- it lasts three days and commemorates the return of the dead to the earth.
- In France, Halloween is a commercialized American holiday brought into the country by Coca-Cola.
Filed under: Festivals and Events
Reader Comments (Page 4 of 4)
gigs406 Oct 19th 2007 6:08AM
I think Halloween is the most ridiculous holiday!! Just think about it, you put on a costume (looking like an idiot), go door to door asking for candy (just go to your local supermarket and buy your own), go to parties in this stupid costume and get drunk, then when the party is over you (the drunk) is going to get into your car and drive home (drunk). Think about it. This particular holiday is quite disgusting because the dead are just that.... DEAD. They are not coming back to haunt you.
DJ Heyzues Oct 19th 2007 5:29AM
If God can do anything, can he make a stone so heavy he himself cant lift it? Rememeber he can do anything ;), and there has to be a yes no answer to this because God is unfallable, and bringing up such a rhetoric that he himself nor any christian can actually answer seems kinda bad :P Oh and while we are on the subject all you guys that decided to wave the "your going to hell" card, dont forget judging others is a pretty nasty sin and that if you are a true christian you should pray for forgiveness and contact these people for their forgiveness. ALSO telling someone their going to hell is damnation, an act only your God can commit. So therefore saying that not only shows you are assuming the powers of your God( and im sure giving yourself God's powers out of nowhere is bad) but that you have the balls to make such and accusation in spite of being a christian! Silly hipocrits, why dont you actually read the bible and use it as it was intended by your religion...to provide specific rules of which you must live your life if you choose the christian path. But i digress :P Halloween rocks and i love me some candy.
DarthAardvark Oct 19th 2007 5:30AM
god i wish you people listened to tool or a perfect circle that would make my complaining about you so much shorter
steve Oct 19th 2007 5:53AM
Linda says....No devil?...No Hell?
Yet she says....Leave some milk and bread out for the fairies?
Maybe when she dies, the fairies will protect her.
Sherry Oct 19th 2007 6:01AM
In Latin America where they celebrate Dia de los Muertos, it has nothing to do with Halloween. It has to do with All Souls Day / All Saints Day which are Catholic in origin and just happen near what is known as Halloween. It may look like Halloween because of the skeletons and other celebratory items, but to liken it to Halloween here in the US is just not correct. It is more like when a loved one dies here and we hold a memorial service. It is a holiday to honor loved ones who have passed. They go to the cemetary to clean and leave flowers. They have food that their loved ones enjoyed and remember them through stories, pictures, and momentos. It is steeped in religious significance.
DarthAardvark Oct 19th 2007 6:04AM
maybe when u die "steve" u can stop judging people. read the bible u friggen idiot, live by your own laws. maybe someday youll read your sacred book and realize you are a complete idiot. as for me im no hypocrit cause i dont believe in santa jesus so i can damn you to a nonexsistant hell all i want, eat crap and die idget
Ralph Oct 19th 2007 7:16AM
You got the facts wrong, in Latin America, the Day of the Dead is November 2nd, and is not associated with Halloween.
battyboutit Oct 19th 2007 7:48PM
Halloween is an especially wonderful time of the year. As a Pagan and as a person who just loves the fall. I love the crunching leaves underfoot and the smell of the air. I look forward to the time when the veil between the worlds is thin so I can be with my mother, who passed years ago. This year is very special as I welcomed my first granddaughter into this world last friday. We will be carving pumpkins, making honey cakes and having the family over for treats and wine. Blessed Be
AMANDA Oct 19th 2007 10:14PM
WHEN I WAS YOUNG WE HAD CLASS HALLOWEEN PARTIES AT SCHOOL AND WE WOULD HAVE A PARADE OF THE CLASSROOMS, ALL THE KIDS GRADES 0-6TH GRADE WOULD BE ABLE TO DRESS UP FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE DAY.THE ROOM MOMS WOULD THROW US A PARTY AND WE WOULD DO SOME KIND OF ARTS AND CRAFTS AND HALLOWEEN GAMES, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE GOOD MEMORIES ABOUT SCHOOL!
Emma Oct 31st 2007 4:04PM
Why do some of you get such a kick out of ruining a completely commercialized holiday that has a Catholic under-tones? The day started out from the Celts (think pre-Jesus, pre-single God) believing that the souls of the dead visit the earth. It's a way to honour them and show your love. What does that have to do with Satan? These are dead people, our loved ones, not devils. I don't think even the Jews (like Jesus.. Oh wait, you guys forget he was Jewish) believe in Satan or hell.
Martha, although you should have known better than to post such a sensitive topic, you're possibly laughing as much as I am about people's comments. Anyways, to answer your question (and conversation starter), what I do is as any other Pagan-like American (note: Pagan, NOT Wiccan. I don't want your Wiccan drama to spill over into the term Pagan - a person who is not a Christian, Jew, or Muslim.): I honour the dead, hand out candy, and remember trick-or-treating as a young'un. Oh, and of course I dress up. Adults hardly get the excuse to dress up any more.
Ken Cowan Nov 1st 2007 11:33AM
Sadly, Christians, and some other religions will never understand, nor tolerate Wiccan beliefs...aside from the biblical command to not suffer a witch to live (What a warm and fuzzy religion...NOT), they just can't wrap their brains around the idea that not everyone uses the same symbols. The Wiccans honor a "god" which is horned (like a stag), and the Christians take that to be Satan, because that's THEIR horned god. It isn't the same. Not only that, for the Wiccans, the horned god is a symbol...whereas the Christians believe Satan is an actual entity. I'm neither Wiccan nor Christian, and I don't believe there is a hell, or Satan...I believe there's evil, but only what people do to each other...it's man-made, in other words. But I have no issue with allowing any faith their beliefs...I just don't want them foisted on me, and I don't appreciate the pretentious attitude they use when doing so.