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12 Halloween Around The World

Halloween Around The bonfires, which were called “bone fires,” were various households. Rather than pledging to
set up to burn effigies and symbolic “bones” of pray for the dead, they would sing a song, recite
World the Catholic pope. It was not until two centuries a poem, tell a joke or perform another sort of

later that effigies of the pope were replaced with “trick” before collecting their treat, which
those of Guy Fawkes. In addition to making typically consisted of fruit, nuts or coins.

Halloween, celebrated annually on October 31, effigies to be burned in the fires, children in
some parts of England also walk the streets Trick-or-Treating in the United States
is one of the world’s oldest holidays. Although
carrying an effigy or “guy” and ask for “a penny
it's derived from ancient festivals and religious
for the guy,” although they keep the money for Some American colonists celebrated Guy
rituals, Halloween is still widely celebrated
themselves. This is as close to the American
today in a number of countries around the globe. Fawkes Day, and in the mid-19th century, large
practice of “trick-or-treating” as can be found in
In countries such as Ireland, Canada and the numbers of new immigrants, especially those
England today. Guy Fawkes Day was even
United States, traditions include costume fleeing the Irish Potato Famine in the 1840s,
parties, trick-or-treating, pranks and games. celebrated by the pilgrims at the first settlement helped popularize Halloween.
Versions of the holiday are celebrated at Plymouth. However, as the young nation In the early 20th century, Irish and
elsewhere, too. In Mexico and other Latin began to develop its own history, Guy Fawkes Scottish communities revived the Old World
was celebrated less frequently and eventually traditions of souling and guising in the United
American countries, Día de los Muertos—the
died out. States. By the 1920s, however, pranks had
Day of the Dead—honors deceased loved ones
and ancestors. In England, Guy Fawkes Day, become the Halloween activity of choice for
which falls on November 5, is commemorated How Halloween is Celebrated in rowdy young people.
with bonfires and fireworks. Ireland The Great Depression exacerbated the
problem, with Halloween mischief often
How Día de los Muertos is Celebrated In Ireland, where Halloween originated, the day devolving into vandalism, physical assaults and
in Latin America is still celebrated much as it is in the United sporadic acts of violence. One theory suggests
States. In rural areas, bonfires are lit as they that excessive pranks on Halloween led to the

In Mexico, Latin America and Spain, All Souls’ were in the days of the Celts, and all over the widespread adoption of an organized,
community-based trick-or-treating tradition in
Day, which takes place on November 2, is country, children get dressed up in costumes and
spend the evening “trick-or-treating” in their the 1930s. This trend was abruptly curtailed,
commemorated with a three-day celebration that
neighborhoods. After trick-or-treating, most however, with the outbreak of World War II,
begins on the evening of October 31. The
people attend parties with neighbors and friends. when sugar rationing meant there were few
celebration is designed to honor the dead who, it
At the parties, many games are played, including treats to hand out. At the height of the postwar
is believed, return to their earthly homes on
“snap-apple,” a game in which an apple on a baby boom, trick-or-treating reclaimed its place
Halloween. Many families construct an altar to
string is tied to a doorframe or tree and players among other Halloween customs. It quickly
the dead in their homes to honor deceased
attempt to bite the hanging apple. In addition to became standard practice for millions of
relatives and decorate it with candy, flowers, children in America’s cities and newly built
photographs, samples of the deceased’s favorite bobbing for apples, parents often arrange suburbs. No longer constrained by sugar
foods and drinks, and fresh water. Often, a wash treasure hunts, with candy or pastries as the
“treasure.” The Irish also play a card game rationing, candy companies capitalized on the
basin and towel are left out so that the spirit can
where cards are laid face down on a table with lucrative ritual, launching national advertising
wash before indulging in the feast.
candy or coins underneath them. When a child campaigns specifically aimed at Halloween.
Candles and incense are burned to help
chooses a card, he receives whatever prize is Today, Americans spend an estimated
the deceased find the way home. Relatives also
found below it. $2.6 billion on candy on Halloween, according
tidy the gravesites of their departed family
A traditional food eaten on Halloween in to the National Retail Federation, and the day,
members. This can include snipping weeds,
Ireland is barnbrack, a kind of fruitcake that can itself, has become the nation’s second-largest
making repairs, and painting. The grave is then commercial holiday. []
decorated with flowers, wreaths, or paper be bought in stores or baked at home. A muslin-
streamers. On November 2, relatives gather at wrapped treat is baked inside the cake that, it is What movies about John
said, can foretell the eater’s future. If a ring is
the gravesite to picnic and reminisce. Some
found, it means that the person will soon be wed;
gatherings even include tequila and a mariachi F. Kennedy and/or His
a piece of straw means that a prosperous year is
band.
on its way. Children are also known to play Assassination
tricks on their neighbors, such as “knock-a-
How Guy Fawkes Day is Celebrated in
dolly,” a prank in which children knock on the
England
doors of their neighbors, but run away before the
1. Parkland (2013)
door is opened.
On the evening of November 5, bonfires are lit
throughout England. Effigies are burned and
Early Christian and Medieval Roots of 2. PT109 (1963)
fireworks are set off. Although it falls around the
Trick-or-Treating
same time and has some similar traditions, this
celebration has little to do with Halloween or the 3. JFK (1991)
By the ninth century, Christianity had spread
ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The English,
into Celtic lands, where it gradually blended
for the most part, stopped celebrating Halloween 4. Thirteen Days (2000)
with and supplanted older pagan rites. In 1000
as Martin Luther’s Protestant Reformation
A.D. the church designated November 2 as All
began to spread. As followers of the new 5. Executive Action (1973)
Souls’ Day, a time for honoring the dead.
religion did not believe in saints, they had no
Celebrations in England resembled Celtic
reason to celebrate the eve of All Saints’ Day.
However, a new autumn ritual did emerge. Guy commemorations of Samhain, complete with 6. JFK: The Making of a President
Fawkes Day festivities were designed to bonfires and masquerades. (2017)
commemorate the execution of a notorious Poor people would visit the houses of
wealthier families and receive pastries called
English traitor, Guy Fawkes. 7. JFK: Three Shots that Changed
soul cakes in exchange for a promise to pray for
On November 5, 1606, Fawkes was America (2009)
the souls of the homeowners’ dead relatives.
executed after being convicted of attempting to
Known as "souling," the practice was later taken
blow up England’s parliament building. Fawkes
up by children, who would go from door to door 8. In the Line of Fire (1992)
was a member of a Catholic group who wanted
asking for gifts such as food, money and ale.
to remove the Protestant King James from
power. The original Guy Fawkes Day was In Scotland and Ireland, young people 9. Jackie (2016)
celebrated right after his execution. The first took part in a tradition called guising, dressing
up in costume and accepting offerings from