When we hear the word ‘Halloween’, we naturally think of the traditional American celebration. Trick-or-treating, pumpkins, scary costumes and Jack-o-lanterns are now firmly established in US culture – and have made their way to the UK and other nations.
In fact, people around the world mark Halloween in many different ways – from Mexico to Poland, from Japan to Turkey. For some, it’s a light-hearted event, but in other countries it has more significance in celebrating the lives of the departed.
The team at online language-learning platform Busuu has looked into how different nations across the world celebrate the annual festival. A language expert at Busuu said: “It’s interesting to see how other cultures and countries adapt to one another's traditions.
“Halloween is an American event but over the years, social media and popular culture have made it more of an event here in the UK and in other countries, including Mexico, Japan and Italy. But not everywhere has embraced it. Other countries, such as Spain, are protective of their traditions like All Saints’ Day and tend to keep this alive rather than celebrating Halloween.”
For places such as France, Spain and Poland, All Saints’ Day takes priority, which falls on November 1. On this bank holiday families get together and visit the cemetery to pay respects to relatives.
Similarly in Mexico, families get together on El Día de Muertos (the Day of the Dead) to light candles around pictures of late family members and cook their favourite foods to celebrate their lives. Other countries, including Germany, Japan and China have fully embraced elements of Halloween from the American tradition.
How Halloween is celebrated around the world
Mexico
Mexico is very big on Halloween and all of the traditions are embraced – the pumpkins, the spooky decorations, the dressing up. The only thing that isn’t big thing is trick-or-treating – mainly because of kidnapping fears. Children living in safer neighbourhoods may go knocking door-to-door, but generally it’s not safe for children to be roaming the streets.
Also celebrated around that time is El Día de Muertos. On this day families get together to remember their loved ones who have passed away. They light candles and place decorations around the picture of their loved one and cook their favourite foods to celebrate their life.
Japan
Halloween is as big as Christmas in Japan and it’s treated like more of an event – people get together in the centre of Tokyo at the famous Shibuya Crossing. They use it as an excuse to dress up and throw parties, with parents getting together so their children can safely go trick-or-treating.
Spain
Protective over their traditions, Spain tends not to celebrate Halloween, and sees it as an American tradition. Youngsters may go to Halloween parties hosted by clubs, and schoolchildren in bigger cities may go trick-or-treating, but the event isn’t widely celebrated.
Horror marathons are also shown on TV around this time, but typically All Saints’ Day is a much bigger deal on November 1. Like France, this is also taken as a bank holiday and people will visit the cemetery to honour the dead.
France
The French don’t tend to celebrate Halloween. While France is a secular country, it still has a big Christian influence and Halloween is overshadowed by Toussaint – All Saints’ Day – when people traditionally visit the cemetery.
Poland
Halloween isn’t a big celebration in Poland. All Saints’ Day is and families will go to the cemetery together, where it’s known to become very busy.
Germany
Like the UK, Germany seems to have adapted more to the idea of Halloween in recent years and it is mainly youngsters who are likely to celebrate it. The Halloween vibes are met with spooky decor, pumpkins and fancy dress.
Italy
Italy is another country that is slowly becoming more open to the idea of Halloween, just like the UK and Germany. If you’re looking to spend Halloween in Italy, you may want to head to one of its larger cities where there will be lots of fancy dress parties.
Turkey
Halloween in Turkey is also a reason for youngsters to drink and throw parties and even then, the fancy dress is minimal. They also have a tradition similar to trick-or-treating, but it has nothing to do with Halloween. The holiday known as Eid al-Adha is when families come together and children ask for treats from elders. Some will go around their neighbourhoods doing this.
China
Halloween has definitely grown in China because of popular culture and social media. It’s celebrated a lot more in commercial settings by shops and bars.
