Halloween is a secular festival that is celebrated annually on the 31st of October and is also referred to as the ‘All Hollows Day’ or ‘All Saints Day’. The festival has its roots in the Celtic beliefs of Samhain and is sometimes regarded as the Celtic New Year. It was a popular belief among the ancient Celts that on the occasion of Halloween, the dead and the deceased intermingle with the living world, transcending all boundaries of time and space. Hence, to avert the possible danger that these disembodied spirits might cause on the living world, the people would extinguish any form of fire in their homes, with the purpose of making them cold and unwanted. They would then adorn different types of ghoulish costumes and parade through the streets making loud noise and chaos.
Gradually, the customs and traditions of the festival became popular among the masses of ancient Rome. It is from this region that the modern day tradition of bobbling for apples became associated with the festival (apple being the symbol of the Roman goddess Pomona). It is only during the 1840’s that the festival was introduced in the States by the Irish immigrants who fled their country to escape from the disastrous potato famine. Today, Halloween is one of the most popular festivals celebrated by people all over the world. However, the rituals and traditions of the festival vary from place to place. Each region has their own unique way of celebrating the festival. For instance, in Austria, it is mandatory to leave bread and a lighted candle or lamp before sleeping at night. This is done to welcome the souls back from the dead.
People in China, on the other hand, observe the occasion of Halloween by placing food and water in front of the pictures of their diseased relatives. This is done with the aim of helping the dead to reach heaven, if they haven’t already done so. The Irish celebrate the festival by observing the same ancient rituals as was done during the time of the Celts, like lighting bonfires. In Japan, the festival is known as the Oban festival, which they celebrate by preparing delicacies and decorating with beautiful red lanterns that they light and then set afloat in the rivers. Similarly, different regions have their own set rituals and customs for celebrating the festival. Go through the information given below, to know more about the different ways in which Halloween celebrations take place around the world.