Halloween - more than pumpkins and costumes

Carved pumpkins, spooky costumes and children on the hunt for candy. That's probably what most people think of when they hear the word Halloween. But what is the story behind this popular holiday? Halloween is celebrated in many countries around the world, but the origins and ways in which it is celebrated can vary considerably. In this blog, we'll take a look at Halloween from a cultural perspective, including how it started and what the traditions associated with it look like in different countries.

The history of Halloween

Halloween originates from the Celtic festival of Samhain, which was celebrated by the Celts in Ireland and Britain more than 2,000 years ago. Samhain marked the end of the harvest season and the start of winter, which the Celts associated with death and darkness. The Celts believed that the veil between the living and the dead was at its thinnest on the 31^st of October, and that spirits could visit the living. To protect themselves from evil spirits, the Celts dressed up in scary costumes and lit bonfires to keep the creatures of darkness away.

When Christianity came to Britain and Ireland, the Church tried to ‘Christianise’ Samhain with the creation of All Saints’ Day on 1 November and All Souls’ Day on 2 November. The night before All Saints’ Day became known as “All Hallows’ Eve” – which is what the name Halloween is derived from.

Over time, the tradition of Halloween has spread and is now celebrated in many countries. Several countries have their own unique way of celebrating the day, with a combination of old and new traditions.

Halloween in other countries

USA

Most people probably associate Halloween with the US, where it's a huge event. Immigrants from Ireland and Scotland in particular brought the holiday with them to the US in the 1800s. Children (and adults) dress up and go door-to-door trick-or-treating, a tradition where children are given sweets in exchange for good behaviour – or at least that’s the idea behind the idle threat hidden in the phrase “trick or treat” they shout when each door opens. Houses are decorated with scary creatures and festively carved pumpkins lit with candles, and you should be on the lookout for practical jokes.

Great Britain and Ireland

The tradition of carved pumpkins originates from the Irish legend of Jack O'Lantern, who cheated the devil. As punishment he was condemned to wander eternally between heaven and hell, but the devil was kind enough to give Jack a piece of burning coal so that he could at least see as he wandered. He put the coal in a hollowed-out turnip, so carved turnip lanterns became part of the Irish tradition for Halloween. When Irish immigrants went to the US, the turnip was replaced with pumpkins.

Germany

In Germany, Halloween is becoming more popular, despite the fact that it falls on another holiday – Reformation Day. In the North and East of Germany, Reformation Day is a public holiday that marks the day Martin Luther published his 95 theses. Today, German Halloween is reminiscent of the American celebration, where children dress up and go door-to-door to collect sweets.

Japan

In Japan, Halloween is celebrated more by adults than children. Adults dress up and go to costume parties. In some major cities such as Tokyo, Osaka and Kanagawa, large parades are held with huge crowds showing off their fancy costumes. The tradition in Japan has no spiritual status, it's all about fun, costumes, and parties.

Mexico

Mexico celebrates Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, which takes place from the 1^st to the 2^nd of November. Friends and families gather to remember their deceased loved ones and celebrate life. The tradition includes colorful decorations, altars filled with flowers, food and candles, and the iconic sugar skulls and skeleton figures. Unlike Halloween, Día de los Muertos is festive, colorful, and celebrates death as a natural part of life.

Denmark

If you’re familiar with Danish traditions, the sight of children dressing up and going door to door in the search of sweets probably makes you think of Fastelavn. Although Halloween is seen as an American custom in Denmark, toy store chains and grocery stores report that Halloween has now usurped the place of Fastelavn for most Danes. Major theme parks such as Tivoli and Legoland have also embraced the tradition with annual special exhibitions and spooky decorations to celebrate Halloween.

This blog was written using these sources:

https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/seneste/halloween-har-overhalet-fastelavn

https://www.tvmidtvest.dk/midt-og-vestjylland/vidste-du-halloween-er-ikke-oprindeligt-amerikansk