Halloween In Different Cultures Around the World

By: Chiara B. ‘27

The table was zapped with electricity and sparks began to fly – once lying lifeless on the table, the creature slowly started to weave himself together. What was this monster of a man? Dr. Frankenstein’s monster's widely known story is one of the cornerstones of Halloween culture. Among ghastly ghouls and old wrappers, trick or treating and creative costumes, Halloween is one of the most celebrated American holidays. Although it is a fun way to enjoy time with friends, Halloween’s history is quite complex and dates back over 2000 years!

Starting with its origins, Halloween was once the bridge between the winter and harvest seasons and had associations with death. During the changing of seasons, the line between the living and the dead grew faint. Rumors of the spirits roaming spread. . To celebrate, ancient Celts created the festival of “Samhain” where they bundled around fires, (sadly without marshmallows), and danced, performing rituals in festive outfits. This is not so different from the American tradition of Halloween, but how do other cultures celebrate it?

A short 7000 miles away, in the Shanghai streets, people are dressed in their best Halloween attire. Although not traditional, as its connection with the Western world grows, China’s participation in Halloween follows close behind. People, often in younger generations, are vested in costumes inspired by both Western and Chinese pop culture idols, and attend parties across the city. Whether these parties take place in bars, a haunted house, or a restaurant, festive desserts can always be found. Around October, it is not uncommon to find Halloween-themed pastries and cakes. Some restaurants in China even create fall menus. While Chinese Halloween is unique, it’s hard to beat Mexico’s colorful and festive Halloween, Day of the Dead.

Dia de Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, focuses on family origins and spans from October 31st - November 2nd It commemorates those who have departed, and celebrates life in vibrant costumes, and festive decorations. While different from American Halloween, some urban areas have adopted the Halloween tradition- going door-to-door, asking for candy, and counting which friend got more Snickers and sugar skulls. These sugar skulls were in fact the product of syncretism, combining the American candy craze with the Mexican appreciation of the dead. They were often placed on altars among vibrant flowers and photographs.

While photographs on altars may be used to remember one’s life, photographs in a mother’s camera roll show another Halloween memory. A special Halloween photo taken back in 2015 continues to serve as a reminder of the fun spirit Halloween brings. As people grow older, and trick-or-treating becomes less popular, it’s important to take the costume party photo, buy from the bakery in Shanghai, or even say “¡Queremos calaveritas!” (We want sugar skulls!).

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