Halloween Around the World
Originally, Halloween was know as Samhain, which was created by the Celts. They believed that during this day the dead returned as ghosts and that the mere presence of these ghosts aided their priests in predicting the future. The Celts would set bonfires, make sacrifices of food and animals to appease their Gods and wear costumes to celebrate the day. Combined with influences from other cultures, Samhain has become the Halloween celebration that Americans know today.
The tradition of the lively event is to celebrate the belief that your deceased relatives come home. In their honor, relatives prepare altars with flowers, the deceased's favorite foods and candles to help guide them home.
Interestingly, it is said that the creation of jack-o'-lanterns also originated in Ireland. In an ancient story, a man called "Stingy Jack" is not allowed into heaven because of the way he lived. He also isn't allowed into hell because he played tricks on the devil. It is rumored that the devil gives Jack an ember out of sympathy so that he could roam the world between good and evil. Jack placed the ember into a hollowed out turnip so that he could find his way.
Qingming is a national holiday in China, and it is believed to be unlucky for a business to be open. People celebrate the day by taking trips, singing and dancing. It is also a time when the courting process begins among couples.
In Czechoslovakia, a chair for each living family member and for each family member's spirit are placed by the fireside on Halloween night. In Germany, people put away their knives on Halloween night lest they risk harm to returning spirits.
In Sweden, Halloween is known as Alla Helgons Dag or All Saints Day. A national holiday in historically Catholic countries, All Saints Day it is today a largely secular celebration where people from Spain to Austria, Lithuania to Poland bring flowers, light candles and visit the graves of deceased relatives.
However you celebrate Halloween in your country—trick-or-treating, wearing costumes, honoring the dead, carving jack-o'-lanterns, bobbing for apples, telling ghost stories or other fun and frightening activities—one thing is sure: When it's over, you will already be looking forward to next year.