Many individuals in the United States celebrate holidays. Some of these include Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Halloween. How do these holidays look in other countries? Are they celebrated in the same way? Halloween is a holiday that is known globally but has many different meanings and ways of celebrating. 

Halloween originated in Ireland. There, they celebrate Halloween the same way that the people in the U.S do. Children get dressed up in costumes and do an activity called “trick-or-treating.” This is where children go from door to door saying “trick-or-treat” and are given treats. Throughout the years, the Irish have made some adaptations to the way that they celebrate this holiday. 

While they trick-or-treat in costumes, they also have bonfires, games, and traditional foods [to them]. One of these traditional foods is barmbrack, an Irish fruit cake that contains coins, rings and buttons. If you receive a ring then you will have a marriage. If you receive coins, you are said to have wealth in the upcoming years. 

In Mexico they celebrate Dia De Los Muertos, also known as Day of the Dead. From November 1 to November 2, Mexicans celebrate Dia De Los Muertos to honor the dead. It is believed that on October 31 the gates of Heaven open up and the souls of children can reunite with their families for 24 hours. On the 2nd of November, the souls of adults come down from Heaven to join the festivals. 

This holiday is celebrated with altars full of fruits, nuts, turkey, soda, hot beverages, water, tortillas and a special bread called pan de muerto, meaning bread of the dead. These things are left as offerings to the weary ghosts. For the souls of children, families leave out candy and toys, while adult souls receive cigarettes and shots of Mezcal. 

In Japan, instead of Halloween, they celebrate the Kawasaki Halloween Parade. This is a huge parade, the biggest of its kind in Japan. At the end of every October, nearly 4,000 costumed Halloween enthusiasts from around the world gather just outside of Tokyo for this parade. However, not everyone can just simply join the parade. The Kawasaki Parade has very strict guidelines and standards, so it is best to apply two months before the parade begins if you want to be a part of this celebration. 

Halloween is a fun holiday for children all around the world. Some other countries celebrate this holiday in a very similar way the way the U.S does, while other countries base their celebrations off of the Halloween that we all know. Holidays are days to get together and have fun, no matter how it is celebrated. Have a very happy Halloween, and be safe!