Easy Halloween Ideas
From easy recipes to craft and party ideas, find everything you need for a spook-tacular Halloween!
Saturday, June 14, 2014
The Top 10 Halloween Songs
Never mind those sugary sweets. Halloween brings some delectable ear candy, too. But which (witch?) Halloween songs are the most popular? As you prepare your Halloween party playlists, we're helping to make sure that you don't miss a single graveyard smash, as we present our creepy countdown of Billboard's Top Halloween Songs. Because when it comes to Halloween, these are the songs you wouldn't want to be caught ... dead ... without.
(Billboard's Top Halloween Songs ranks the most-played multi-format Halloween-themed hits, as determined by total plays on all Nielsen BDS-monitored U.S. terrestrial and network stations and channels Oct. 25-31, 2012).
(Billboard's Top Halloween Songs ranks the most-played multi-format Halloween-themed hits, as determined by total plays on all Nielsen BDS-monitored U.S. terrestrial and network stations and channels Oct. 25-31, 2012).
Musicians' Spookiest Halloween Costumes
Pop Stars As Zombies: Photo Gallery | 50 Years of "Monster Mash"
Pop Stars As Zombies: Photo Gallery | 50 Years of "Monster Mash"
10. "Dragula" - Rob Zombie
Who better than Rob Zombie, one of the spookiest musicians ever, to complete a Halloween-time soundtrack. The black-clad, fright-haired Zombie, also acclaimed as a horror film director, rode this pastiche of driving beats, hard riffage and growling lyrics about death and witches onto the rock charts in 1998.9. "A Nightmare on My Street" - D.J. Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
D.J. Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince (aka, Will Smith) brought hip-hop into the Halloween game in 1988 when they took their tune about "Nightmare on Elm Street" villain Freddy Krueger all the way to No. 15 on the Hot 100.8. "Somebody's Watching Me" - Rockwell
Paranoid much? This big 80's pop wonder about constantly looking over one's shoulder sounds Michael Jackson-y because MJ literally lent a hand. Having the King of Pop sing backup certainly seems to have helped Rockwell watch "Somebody" shoot to No. 2 on the Hot 100 in 1984.7. "Runnin' With the Devil" - Van Halen
Mixing lyrics about living wild with hard rock was a winning combo for Van Halen, who ran this song to No. 84 on the Hot 100 in 1978.6. "Don't Fear the Reaper" - Blue Oyster Cult
This mid-tempo rocker, which hit No. 12 on the Hot 100 in 1976 for Blue Oyster Cult, isn't spooky at all until you consider the lyrics told from the point of view of some death-friendly dude trying to induce his gal to join him and not "fear the reaper."5. "Highway to Hell" - AC/DC
Pitch-black metal from down under, AC/DC drove "Highway" to No. 47 on the Hot 100 in 1979.4. "Werewolves of London" - Warren Zevon
A perfect Halloween entry from the (late, great) Warren Zevon, who also famously sang "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead," is this howling Me Generation rocker that rose to No. 21 on the Hot 100 in 1978.3. "Ghostbusters" - Ray Parker Jr.
When October rolls around, the clear answer to the lyrical question, "Who ya gonna call?," is Ray Parker Jr.'s "Ghostbusters," which topped the Hot 100 in 1984.2. "Monster Mash" - Bobby "Boris" Pickett & the Crypt-Kickers
Though it's been decades since this kitschy, creepy faux-Frankenstein party tune scared up a No. 1 slot on the Hot 100 in 1962, Bobby "Boris" Pickett & the Crypt-Kickers' "Monster Mash" has been on Halloween party playlists ever since. Read about 50 Years of "Monster Mash"1. "Thriller" - Michael Jackson
"Thriller," which hit No. 4 on the Hot 100 in 1984, is the most-downloaded Halloween-themed hit of all-time, with digital sales to-date of 3.4 million, according to Nielsen SoundScan. (It's also Jackson's best-selling download, ahead of runner-up "Billie Jean," which has sold 2.7 million).Friday, June 13, 2014
Halloween Party Ideas and Costume Ideas
Halloween Party Ideas and Costume Ideas
Get your friends and family together for a tricky treat of a party! Check out our Halloween party ideas below for dozens of ideas and photos to make your Halloween party a spooky good time! From Halloween games and food to Halloween decorating ideas, Halloween costume ideas and more, your scary-awesome Halloween starts here!
Get Your Glow On! Brilliant Glowstick Ideas
Ready, set... GLOW! Set the kids up for safe trick-or-treating with bright ideas for a glow-in-the-dark favor table and a WOW chandelier of glow sticks. Cool Halloween party ideas!
'Black & Bone' Halloween Cocktail Party Ideas
Conjure a gothic-glam gala with bewitching black-and-white ideas for decorations, cocktails and party pics! Time to summon your groan-up goblins for a fiendishly fun partay!
Hair-Raising Halloween Mantel Decorating Ideas
Spine-tingling mantel ideas! Transform your fireplace into a grisly torture chamber, zombie zone, wicked-gool gothic scene, or adora-BOO kid's spot.
Boo-tiful & Bewitching Halloween DIY Decorating Ideas
Feast your eyes on these do-it-yourself Halloween decorating ideas! Get crafty with wicked-cool ideas for lantern bats, pumpkin balloons and witch's feet.
Wicked-Cool 'Black & Bone' Halloween Candy Buffet Ideas
Scare up a creepy-chic table o' treats, cocktails and party décor. Cast a spell on your treat-takers with these fun and easy ideas for sweets with spooky style!
Howlin'-good Halloween Treats and Candy Ideas
Wow the li'l monsters at your Halloween get-together with ghoulishly great treats and candy! Check out these Halloween dessert ideas for yummy concoctions to make them howl.
Top 10 Hall-Haunting Halloween Decorating Ideas
Set the scene for a spine-tingling Halloween! Browse our Halloween decorating ideas to create a spooky graveyard, a vampire's lair, a haunted mansion and other delightfully dreadful displays.
Adult Halloween Party Ideas
Get shockingly easy ideas for decorating, party food, cocktails and more with these frightfully fun ways to haunt your halls and Halloween party ideas to creep out your friends.
Shocktails! Halloween Party Cocktail Ideas & Recipes
Pour on the freaky fun at your Halloween party! Use our Halloween Party Cocktail Ideas & Recipes gallery to brew up creepy cocktails and Halloween drinks.
Throne of Swords: Medieval Halloween Photo Booth Ideas
Medieval is mad-hot this Hallow's Eve. Rule the realm with a DIY 'throne of swords' and our fierce costume and accessorizing ideas for a bloody-good Halloween photo booth!
Not-So-Scary Kids Halloween Party Ideas
See how easy it is to put together a kid-friendly boo bash with these ideas, from decorating to party food, favors, Halloween games and more.
Scary-Sweet Halloween Party Food Ideas
Need ideas for cute-and-creepy Halloween cupcakes, cookies, cake pops, candy buffets and dessert tables? Check out our Halloween party food ideas for inspiration, recipes and how-to's.
Kids Halloween Party Game Ideas
Try these Halloween games and party activities that get everyone into the ghoulish groove of party games. Kids love these Halloween party ideas!
Trick-or-Treating ( Trick or Treating )
Trick-or-Treating ( Trick or Treating )
Trick-or-Treating hasn’t always been a part of Halloween celebrations. In fact, Halloween has only been celebrated in the US for a relatively short time. Celebrating All Hallow’s Eve was a practice that came over to the US with the first large wave of immigrants who came from Ireland, England and Scotland. In some parts of these countries it was common for kids to go out “guising” on All Hallow’s Eve to beg for food, money or other items. People who refused to give anything would sometimes find chalk drawings on their doors the next morning or find they were the victims of other pranks. When immigrants came to the US they brought their traditions with them and on all All Hallow’s Eve each year in some immigrant communities it would be common to see small children, usually boys, with makeup or soot on their faces or wearing crude masks made from bags going around begging at different houses.
At the beginning of the 20th century “guising” was still not very popular and most people didn’t really know what Halloween was. But by the early 1920s the young trendsetters were beginning to throw lavish Halloween parties and there was renewed interest in “guising”. Stores started selling pre-made costumes that people could wear to disguise themselves and indulge in a little good natured Halloween fun. During WWII Halloween celebrations were toned down due to sugar rationing and the generally somber mood of the nation. By the time the war was over and people started the mad exodus to build homes in the suburbs the celebration of Halloween had gotten popular. The 50s and 60s were the decades when Trick-or-Treating became the important Halloween ritual they are today. Trick-or-Treating became the focus of Halloween celebrations because going Trick-or-Treating was seen as a wholesome activity for the whole family. Trick-or-Treating also became popular in the 50s and 60s because that was when living in subdivisions and newly built suburban neighborhoods became popular.
Trick-or-Treating remained popular through the 70s and 80s but by the 90s the practice of Trick-or-Treating began to change. Many different factors like the rise of people living in apartment buildings instead of free standing houses in suburban neighborhoods and the rise in non-traditional households contributed to the major changes that shaped Trick-or-Treating at the end of the 90s. In order to accommodate parents with busy schedules and in an effort to make Trick-or-Treating safer for kids it was moved largely indoors. Malls began to open for specific Trick-or-Treating events where kids in costume could go to different stores to receive candy and coupons. These structured Halloween events also usually feature games, activities, and clowns and other performers to make the event even more special. Many neighborhoods have also designated special Trick-or-Treat hours to prevent a lot of Halloween mischief and help protect the safety of Trick-or-Treaters.
History of Halloween - Halloween is a holiday celebrated on the night of October 31
History of Halloween
Halloween is a holiday celebrated on the night of October 31. The word Halloween is a shortening of All Hallows' Evening also known as Hallowe'en or All Hallows' Eve.Traditional activities include trick-or-treating, bonfires, costume parties, visiting "haunted houses" and carving jack-o-lanterns. Irish and Scottish immigrants carried versions of the tradition to North America in the nineteenth century. Other western countries embraced the holiday in the late twentieth century including Ireland, the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom as well as of Australia and New Zealand.
Halloween has its origins in the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain (pronounced "sah-win").
The festival of Samhain is a celebration of the end of the harvest season in Gaelic culture. Samhain was a time used by the ancient pagans to take stock of supplies and prepare for winter. The ancient Gaels believed that on October 31, the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead overlapped and the deceased would come back to life and cause havoc such as sickness or damaged crops.
The festival would frequently involve bonfires. It is believed that the fires attracted insects to the area which attracted bats to the area. These are additional attributes of the history of Halloween.
Masks and costumes were worn in an attempt to mimic the evil spirits or appease them.
Trick-or-treating, is an activity for children on or around Halloween in which they proceed from house to house in costumes, asking for treats such as confectionery with the question, "Trick or treat?" The "trick" part of "trick or treat" is a threat to play a trick on the homeowner or his property if no treat is given. Trick-or-treating is one of the main traditions of Halloween. It has become socially expected that if one lives in a neighborhood with children one should purchase treats in preparation for trick-or-treaters.
The history of Halloween has evolved. The activity is popular in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, and due to increased American cultural influence in recent years, imported through exposure to US television and other media, trick-or-treating has started to occur among children in many parts of Europe, and in the Saudi Aramco camps of Dhahran, Akaria compounds and Ras Tanura in Saudi Arabia. The most significant growth and resistance is in the United Kingdom, where the police have threatened to prosecute parents who allow their children to carry out the "trick" element. In continental Europe, where the commerce-driven importation of Halloween is seen with more skepticism, numerous destructive or illegal "tricks" and police warnings have further raised suspicion about this game and Halloween in general.
In Ohio, Iowa, and Massachusetts, the night designated for Trick-or-treating is often referred to as Beggars Night.
Part of the history of Halloween is Halloween costumes. The practice of dressing up in costumes and begging door to door for treats on holidays goes back to the Middle Ages, and includes Christmas wassailing. Trick-or-treating resembles the late medieval practice of "souling," when poor folk would go door to door on Hallowmas (November 1), receiving food in return for prayers for the dead on All Souls Day (November 2). It originated in Ireland and Britain, although similar practices for the souls of the dead were found as far south as Italy. Shakespeare mentions the practice in his comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1593), when Speed accuses his master of "puling [whimpering, whining], like a beggar at Hallowmas."
Yet there is no evidence that souling was ever practiced in America, and trick-or-treating may have developed in America independent of any Irish or British antecedent. There is little primary Halloween history documentation of masking or costuming on Halloween in Ireland, the UK, or America before 1900. The earliest known reference to ritual begging on Halloween in English speaking North America occurs in 1911, when a newspaper in Kingston, Ontario, near the border of upstate New York, reported that it was normal for the smaller children to go street guising (see below) on Halloween between 6 and 7 p.m., visiting shops and neighbors to be rewarded with nuts and candies for their rhymes and songs. Another isolated reference appears, place unknown, in 1915, with a third reference in Chicago in 1920. The thousands of Halloween postcards produced between the turn of the 20th century and the 1920s commonly show children but do not depict trick-or-treating. Ruth Edna Kelley, in her 1919 history of the holiday, The Book of Hallowe'en, makes no mention of such a custom in the chapter "Hallowe'en in America." It does not seem to have become a widespread practice until the 1930s, with the earliest known uses in print of the term "trick or treat" appearing in 1934, and the first use in a national publication occurring in 1939. Thus, although a quarter million Scots-Irish immigrated to America between 1717 and 1770, the Irish Potato Famine brought almost a million immigrants in 1845-1849, and British and Irish immigration to America peaked in the 1880s, ritualized begging on Halloween was virtually unknown in America until generations later.
| Trick-or-treating spread from the western United States eastward, stalled by sugar rationing that began in April 1942 during World War II and did not end until June 1947. Early national attention to trick-or-treating was given in October 1947 issues of the children's magazines Jack and Jill and Children's Activities, and by Halloween episodes of the network radio programs The Baby Snooks Show in 1946 and The Jack Benny Show and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet in 1948. The custom had become firmly established in popular culture by 1952, when Walt Disney portrayed it in the cartoon Trick or Treat, Ozzie and Harriet were besieged by trick-or-treaters on an episode of their television show, and UNICEF first conducted a national campaign for children to raise funds for the charity while trick-or-treating. |  |
Trick-or-treating on the prairie. Although some popular histories of Halloween have characterized trick-or-treating as an adult invention to re-channel Halloween activities away from vandalism, nothing in the historical record supports this theory. To the contrary, adults, as reported in newspapers from the mid-1930s to the mid-1950s, typically saw it as a form of extortion, with reactions ranging from bemused indulgence to anger. Likewise, as portrayed on radio shows, children would have to explain what trick-or-treating was to puzzled adults, and not the other way around. Sometimes even the children protested: for Halloween 1948, members of the Madison Square Boys Club in New York City carried a parade banner that read "American Boys Don't Beg."
Halloween wiki
This article is about the observance. For other uses, see Halloween (disambiguation).
"All Hallows' Eve" redirects here. For other uses, see All Hallows' Eve (disambiguation).
| Halloween | |
|---|---|
A jack-o'-lantern, one of the symbols of Halloween
| |
| Also called | Hallowe'en All Hallows' Eve All Saints' Eve |
| Observed by | Western Christians and many non-Christians around the world[1] |
| Significance | First day of Hallowtide |
| Celebrations | Trick-or-treating, costumeparties, making jack-o'-lanterns, lighting bonfires, divination,apple bobbing, visiting haunted house attractions |
| Observances | Church services,[2] prayer,[3]fasting,[1] and vigils[4] |
| Date | 31 October |
| Next time | 31 October 2014 |
| Frequency | annual |
| Related to | Totensonntag, Blue Christmas,Thursday of the Dead, Samhain,Hop-tu-Naa, Calan Gaeaf,Allantide, Day of the Dead,Reformation Day, All Saints' Day(cf. vigils) |
Halloween or Hallowe'en (/ˌhæləˈwiːn, -oʊˈiːn, ˌhɑːl-/; a contraction of "All Hallows' Evening")[5] also known as All Hallows' Eve,[6]or All Saints' Eve,[7] is a yearly celebration observed in a number of countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows' Day. It initiates the triduum of Hallowtide, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, includingsaints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed believers.[8]
According to many academic scholars, All Hallows' Eve is a Christianized feast initially influenced by Celtic harvest festivals,[9][10] with possible pagan roots, particularly the Gaelic Samhain.[6][11][12] Other academic scholars maintain that it originated independently of Samhain and has solely Christian roots.[13]
Typical festive Halloween activities include trick-or-treating (or the related "guising"), attending costume parties, decorating, carvingpumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, visiting haunted house attractions, playing pranks, telling scary stories, and watching horror films. In many parts of the world, the Christian religious observances of All Hallows' Eve, including attending church services and lighting candles on the graves of the dead, remain popular,[14][15][16] although in other locations, these solemn customs are less pronounced in favour of a more secularized celebration.[17][18][19] Because many Western Christian denominations encourage, although no longer require, abstinence from meat on All Hallows' Eve,[20] the tradition of eating certainvegetarian foods for this vigil day developed, including the consumption of apples, colcannon, cider, potato pancakes, and soul cakes.[21][22]
Contents
[hide]Etymology[edit]
The word Halloween or Hallowe'en dates to about 1745[23] and is of Christian origin.[24] The word "Halloween" means "hallowed evening" or "holy evening".[25] It comes from a Scottish term for All Hallows' Eve (the evening before All Hallows' Day).[26][27] In Scots, the word "eve" is even, and this is contracted to e'en or een. Over time, (All) Hallow(s) Eve(n) evolved into Halloween. Although the phrase "All Hallows'" is found in Old English (ealra hālgena mæssedæg, all saints mass-day), "All Hallows' Eve" is itself not seen until 1556.[27][28]
History[edit]
Gaelic and Welsh influence[edit]
Today's Halloween customs are thought to have been influenced by folk customs and beliefs from the Celtic-speaking countries, some of which have pagan roots, and others which may be rooted in Celtic Christianity.[29][30] Indeed, Jack Santino, an academic folklorist, writes that "the sacred and the religious are a fundamental context for understanding Halloween in Northern Ireland, but there as throughout Ireland an uneasy truce exists between customs and beliefs associated with Christianity and those associated with religions that were Irish before Christianity arrived".[31] Historian Nicholas Rogers, exploring the origins of Halloween, notes that while "some folklorists have detected its origins in the Roman feast of Pomona, the goddess of fruits and seeds, or in the festival of the dead called Parentalia, it is more typically linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain", which comes from the Old Irish for "summer's end".[29] Samhain (pronounced sah-win or sow-in) was the first and most important of the four quarter days in the medieval Gaelic calendar and was celebrated in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man.[32][33] It was held on or about 31 October – 1 November and kindred festivals were held at the same time of year by the Brittonic Celts; for example Calan Gaeaf (in Wales), Kalan Gwav (in Cornwall) and Kalan Goañv (in Brittany). Samhain and Calan Gaeaf are mentioned in some of the earliest Irish and Welsh literature. The names have been used by historians to refer to Celtic Halloween customs up until the 19th century,[34] and are still the Gaelic and Welsh names for Halloween.
Samhain/Calan Gaeaf marked the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter or the 'darker half' of the year.[35][36] Like Beltane/Calan Mai, it was seen as a liminal time, when the spirits or fairies (the Aos Sí) could more easily come into our world and were particularly active.[37][38] Most scholars see the Aos Sí as "degraded versions of ancient gods [...] whose power remained active in the people's minds even after they had been officially replaced by later religious beliefs". The Aos Sí were both respected and feared, with individuals often invoking the protection of God when approaching their dwellings.[39][40] At Samhain, it was believed that the Aos Sí needed to be propitiated to ensure that the people and their livestock survived the winter. Offerings of food and drink, or portions of the crops, were left for the Aos Sí.[41][42][43][44] The souls of the dead were also said to revisit their homes.[45] Places were set at the dinner table or by the fire to welcome them.[46] The belief that the souls of the dead return home on one night or day of the year seems to have ancient origins and is found in many cultures throughout the world.[47] In 19th century Ireland, "candles would be lit and prayers formally offered for the souls of the dead. After this the eating, drinking, and games would begin".[48] Throughout the Gaelic and Welsh regions, the household festivities included rituals and games intended to divine one's future, especially regarding death and marriage.[49] Nuts and apples were often used in these divination rituals. Special bonfires were lit and there were rituals involving them. Their flames, smoke and ashes were deemed to have protective and cleansing powers, and were also used for divination.[34][35] It is suggested that the fires were a kind ofimitative or sympathetic magic – they mimicked the Sun, helping the "powers of growth" and holding back the decay and darkness of winter.[46][50][51] Christian minister Eddie J. Smith suggests that the bonfires were also used to scare witches of "their awaiting punishment in hell".[52]
In modern Ireland, Scotland, Mann and Wales, the festival included mumming and guising,[53] the latter of which goes back at least as far as the 16th century.[54] This involved people going house-to-house in costume (or in disguise), usually reciting verses or songs in exchange for food.[53] It may have come from the Christian custom of souling (see below) or it may have a Gaelic folk origin, with the costumes being a means of imitating, or disguising oneself from, the Aos Sí. In Scotland, youths went house-to-house on 31 October with masked, painted or blackened faces, often threatening to do mischief if they were not welcomed.[53] F. Marian McNeill suggests the ancient festival included people in costume representing the spirits, and that faces were marked (or blackened) with ashes taken from the sacred bonfire.[54] In parts of Wales, men went about dressed as fearsome beings called gwrachod.[53] In the late 19th and early 20th century, young people in Glamorgan and Orkney dressed as the opposite gender.[53] In parts of southern Ireland, the guisers included a hobby horse. A man dressed as a Láir Bhán (white mare) led youths house-to-house reciting verses—some of which had pagan overtones—in exchange for food. If the household donated food it could expect good fortune from the 'Muck Olla'; not doing so would bring misfortune.[55][56] Elsewhere in Europe, mumming and hobby horses were part of other yearly festivals. However, in the Celtic-speaking regions they were "particularly appropriate to a night upon which supernatural beings were said to be abroad and could be imitated or warded off by human wanderers".[53] As early as the 18th century, "imitating malignant spirits" led to playing pranks in Ireland and the Scottish Highlands.[53] Wearing costumes at Halloween spread to England in the 20th century, as did the custom of playing pranks.[53] The "traditional illumination for guisers or pranksters abroad on the night in some places was provided by turnips or mangel wurzels, hollowed out to act as lanterns and often carved with grotesque faces to represent spirits or goblins".[53] These were common in parts of Ireland and the Scottish Highlands in 19th century,[53] as well as in Somerset (see Punkie Night). In the 20th century they spread to other parts of England and became generally known as jack-o'-lanterns.[53]
Christian influence[edit]
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Today's Halloween customs are also thought to have been influenced by Christian dogma and practices derived from it. Halloween falls on the evening before the Christian holy days of All Hallows' Day (also known as All Saints', Hallowmas or Hallowtide) on 1 November and All Souls' Day on 2 November, thus giving the holiday on 31 October the full name of All Hallows' Eve (meaning the evening before All Hallows' Day).[57] Since the time of the primitive Church,[58] major feasts in the Christian Church (such asChristmas, Easter and Pentecost) had vigils which began the night before, as did the feast of All Hallows'.[59] These three days are collectively referred to as Hallowtide and are a time for honoring the saints and praying for the recently departed souls who have yet to reach Heaven. All Saints was introduced in the year 609, but was originally celebrated on 13 May.[60] In 835, it was switched to 1 November (the same date as Samhain) at the behest of Pope Gregory IV.[60] Some suggest this was due to Celtic influence, while others suggest it was a Germanic idea.[60] It is also suggested that the change was made on the "practical grounds that Rome in summer could not accommodate the great number of pilgrims who flocked to it", and perhaps because of public health considerations regarding Roman Fever – a disease that claimed a number of lives during the sultry summers of the region.[61]
By the end of the 12th century they had become holy days of obligation across Europe and involved such traditions as ringing church bells for the souls in purgatory. In addition, "it was customary for criers dressed in black to parade the streets, ringing a bell of mournful sound and calling on all good Christians to remember the poor souls."[63]"Souling", the custom of baking and sharing soul cakes for all christened souls,[64] has been suggested as the origin of trick-or-treating.[65] The custom dates back at least as far as the 15th century[66] and was found in parts of England, Belgium, Germany, Austria and Italy.[47] Groups of poor people, often children, would go door-to-door during Hallowtide, collecting soul cakes as a means of praying for souls in purgatory.[66]Shakespeare mentions the practice in his comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1593).[67] The custom of wearing costumes has been explicated by Prince Sorie Conteh, who wrote: "It was traditionally believed that the souls of the departed wandered the earth until All Saints' Day, and All Hallows' Eve provided one last chance for the dead to gain vengeance on their enemies before moving to the next world. In order to avoid being recognised by any soul that might be seeking such vengeance, people would don masks or costumes to disguise their identities".[68] In the Middle Ages, churches displayed the relics of martyred saints and those parishes that were too poor to have relics let parishioners dress up as the saints instead,[69] a practice that some Christians continue in Halloween celebrations today.[70] Academic folklorist Kingsley Palmer, in addition to others, has suggested that the carved jack-o'-lantern, a popular symbol of Halloween, originally represented the souls of the dead.[71][72] On Halloween, in medieval Europe, "fires [were] lit to guide these souls on their way and deflect them from haunting honest Christian folk."[73] In addition, households in Austria, England, Ireland often had "candles burning in every room to guide the souls back to visit their earthly homes". These were known as “soul lights”.[74][75][76] Many Christians in continental Europe, especially in France, acknowledged "a belief that once a year, on Hallowe'en, the dead of the churchyards rose for one wild, hideous carnival," known as the danse macabre, which has been commonly depicted inchurch decoration, especially on the walls of cathedrals, monasteries, and cemeteries.[77] Christopher Allmand and Rosamond McKitterick write in The New Cambridge Medieval History that "Christians were moved by the sight of the Infant Jesus playing on his mother's knee; their hearts were touched by the Pietà; and patron saints reassured them by their presence. But, all the while, the danse macabre urged them not to forget the end of all earthly things."[78] This danse macabre, which was enacted by "Christian village children [who] celebrated the vigil of All Saints" in the 16th Century, has been suggested as the predecessor of modern day costume parties on this same day.[79][80]
In parts of Britain, these customs came under attack during the Reformation as some Protestants berated purgatory as a "popish" doctrine incompatible with the notion ofpredestination. Thus, for some Nonconformist Protestants, the theology of All Hallows’ Eve was redefined; without the doctrine of purgatory, "the returning souls cannot be journeying from Purgatory on their way to Heaven, as Catholics frequently believe and assert. Instead, the so-called ghosts are thought to be in actuality evil spirits. As such they are threatening."[75] Other Protestants maintained belief in an intermediate state, known as Hades (Bosom of Abraham),[81] and continued to observe the original customs, especially candlelit processions and the ringing of church bells in memory of the dead.[57] With regard to the evil spirits, on Halloween, "barns and homes were blessed to protect people and livestock from the effect of witches, who were believed to accompany the malignant spirits as they traveled the earth."[73] In the 19th century, in some rural parts of England, families gathered on hills on the night of All Hallows' Eve. One held a bunch of burning straw on a pitchfork while the rest knelt around him in a circle, praying for the souls of relatives and friends until the flames went out. This was known as teen'lay, derived either from the Old English tendan (meaning to kindle) or a word related to Old Irishtenlach (meaning hearth).[82] The rising popularity of Guy Fawkes Night (5 November) from 1605 onward, saw many Halloween traditions appropriated by that holiday instead, and Halloween's popularity waned in Britain, with the noteworthy exception of Scotland.[83] There and in Ireland, they had been celebrating Samhain and Halloween since at least the early Middle Ages, and the Scottish kirk took a more pragmatic approach to Halloween, seeing it as important to the life cycle and rites of passage of communities and thus ensuring its survival in the country.[83]
In France, some Christian families, on the night of All Hallows' Eve, prayed beside the graves of their loved ones, setting down dishes full of milk for them.[74] On Halloween, in Italy, some families left a large meal out for ghosts of their passed relatives, before they departed for church services.[84] In Spain, on this night, special pastries are baked, known as “bones of the holy” (Spanish: Huesos de Santo) and put them on the graves of the churchyard, a practice that continues to this day.[85]
Spread to North America[edit]
Lesley Bannatyne and Cindy Ott both write that Anglican colonists in the South and Catholic colonists in Maryland “recognized All Hallow’s Eve in their church calendars”,[86][87]although the Puritans of New England maintained strong opposition to the holiday, in addition to other traditional celebrations of the established Church, including Christmas.[88]Mass Irish and Scottish immigration during the 19th century increased the holiday’s celebration in the United States.[89] "In Cajun areas, a nocturnal Mass was said in cemeteries on Halloween night. Candles that had been blessed were placed on graves, and families sometimes spent the entire night at the graveside."[90] Confined to the immigrant communities during the mid-19th century, it was gradually assimilated into mainstream society and by the first decade of the 20th century it was being celebrated coast to coast by people of all social, racial and religious backgrounds.[91]
Symbols[edit]
Development of artifacts and symbols associated with Halloween formed over time. Jack-o'-lanterns are traditionally carried by guiserson All Hallows' Eve in order to frighten evil spirits.[72][92] There is a popular Irish Christian folktale associated with the jack-o'-lantern,[93] which in lore, is said to represent a "soul who has been denied entry into both heaven and hell":[94]
On route home after a night's drinking, Jack encounters the Devil and tricks him into climbing a tree. A quick-thinking Jack etches thesign of the cross into the bark, thus trapping the Devil. Jack strikes a bargain that Satan can never claim his soul. After a life of sin,drink, and mendacity, Jack is refused entry to heaven when he dies. Keeping his promise, the Devil refuses to let Jack into hell and throws a live coal straight from the fires of hell at him. It was a cold night, so Jack places the coal in a hollowed out turnip to stop it from going out, since which time Jack and his lantern have been roaming looking for a place to rest.[95]
In Ireland and Scotland, the turnip has traditionally been carved during Halloween,[96][97] but immigrants to North America used the native pumpkin, which is both much softer and much larger – making it easier to carve than a turnip.[96] Subsequently, the mass marketing of various size pumpkins in autumn, in both the corporate and local markets, has made pumpkins universally available for this purpose. The American tradition of carving pumpkins is recorded in 1837[98] and was originally associated with harvest time in general, not becoming specifically associated with Halloween until the mid-to-late 19th century.[99]
The modern imagery of Halloween comes from many sources, including Christian eschatology, national customs, works of Gothic and horror literature (such as the novelsFrankenstein and Dracula) and classic horror films (such as Frankenstein and The Mummy).[100][101] Imagery of the skull, a reference to Golgotha, in the Christian tradition, serves as "a reminder of death and the transitory quality of human life" and is consequently found in memento mori and vanitas compositions;[102] skulls have therefore been commonplace in Halloween, which touches on this theme.[103] Traditionally, the back walls of churches are "decorated with a depiction of the Last Judgment, complete with graves opening and the dead rising, with a heaven filled with angels and a hell filled with devils," a motif that has permeated the observance of this triduum.[104] One of the earliest works on the subject of Halloween is from Scottish poet John Mayne, who, in 1780, made note of pranks at Halloween; "What fearfu' pranks ensue!", as well as the supernatural associated with the night, "Bogies" (ghosts), influencing Robert Burns' "Halloween" (1785).[105] Elements of the autumn season, such as pumpkins, corn husks and scarecrows, are also prevalent. Homes are often decorated with these types of symbols around Halloween. Halloween imagery includes themes of death, evil, and mythical monsters.[106]Black, orange, and sometimes purple are Halloween's traditional colors.
Trick-or-treating and guising[edit]
Main article: Trick-or-treating
Trick-or-treating is a customary celebration for children on Halloween. Children go in costume from house to house, asking for treats such ascandy or sometimes money, with the question, "Trick or treat?" The word "trick" refers to "threat" to perform mischief on the homeowners or their property if no treat is given.[65] The practice is said to have roots in the medieval practice of mumming, which is closely related to souling(discussed above).[107] John Pymm writes that "many of the feast days associated with the presentation of mumming plays were celebrated by the Christian Church."[108] These feast days included All Hallows' Eve, Christmas, Twelfth Night and Shrove Tuesday.[109][110] Mumming, practised in Germany, Scandinavia and other parts of Europe,[111] involved masked persons in fancy dress who "paraded the streets and entered houses to dance or play dice in silence." Their "basic narrative framework is the story of St. George and the Seven Champions of Christendom."[112]
In Scotland and Ireland, guising – children disguised in costume going from door to door for food or coins – is a traditional Halloween custom, and is recorded in Scotland at Halloween in 1895 where masqueraders in disguise carrying lanterns made out of scooped out turnips, visit homes to be rewarded with cakes, fruit and money.[97] The practice of guising at Halloween in North America is first recorded in 1911, where a newspaper inKingston, Ontario reported children going "guising" around the neighborhood.[113]
American historian and author Ruth Edna Kelley of Massachusetts wrote the first book length history of Halloween in the US; The Book of Hallowe'en (1919), and references souling in the chapter "Hallowe'en in America":
In her book, Kelley touches on customs that arrived from across the Atlantic; "Americans have fostered them, and are making this an occasion something like what it must have been in its best days overseas. All Halloween customs in the United States are borrowed directly or adapted from those of other countries".[115] While the first reference to "guising" in North America occurs in 1911, another reference to ritual begging on Halloween appears, place unknown, in 1915, with a third reference in Chicago in 1920.[116]
The earliest known use in print of the term "trick or treat" appears in 1927, from Blackie, Alberta, Canada:
Hallowe'en provided an opportunity for real strenuous fun. No real damage was done except to the temper of some who had to hunt for wagon wheels, gates, wagons, barrels, etc., much of which decorated the front street. The youthful tormentors were at back door and front demanding edible plunder by the word “trick or treat” to which the inmates gladly responded and sent the robbers away rejoicing.[117]
The thousands of Halloween postcards produced between the turn of the 20th century and the 1920s commonly show children but not trick-or-treating.[118] The editor of a collection of over 3,000 vintage Halloween postcards writes, "There are cards which mention the custom [of trick-or-treating] or show children in costumes at the doors, but as far as we can tell they were printed later than the 1920s and more than likely even the 1930s. Tricksters of various sorts are shown on the early postcards, but not the means of appeasing them".[119]Trick-or-treating does not seem to have become a widespread practice until the 1930s, with the first U.S. appearances of the term in 1934,[120] and the first use in a national publication occurring in 1939.[121]
A popular variant of trick-or-treating, known as trunk-or-treating (or Halloween tailgaiting), occurs when "children are offered treats from the trunks of cars parked in a church parking lot," or sometimes, a school parking lot.[85][122] In a trunk-or-treat event, the trunk (boot) of each automobile is decorated with a certain theme,[123] such as those ofchildren's literature, movies, scripture, and job roles.[124] Because the traditional style of trick-or-treating was made impossible after Hurricane Katrina, trunk-or-treating provided comfort to those whose homes were devastated.[125] Trunk-or-treating has grown in popularity due to its perception as being more safe than going door to door, a point that resonates well with parents, as well as the fact that it "solves the rural conundrum in which homes [are] built a half-mile apart".[126][127]
Costumes[edit]
Main article: Halloween costume
Halloween costumes are traditionally modeled after supernatural figures such as vampires, monsters, ghosts, skeletons, witches, and devils. Over time, in the United States the costume selection extended to include popular characters from fiction, celebrities, and generic archetypes such as ninjas and princesses.[65]
Dressing up in costumes and going "guising" was prevalent in Ireland and Scotland at Halloween by the late 19th century.[97]Costuming became popular for Halloween parties in the US in the early 20th century, as often for adults as for children. The first mass-produced Halloween costumes appeared in stores in the 1930s when trick-or-treating was becoming popular in the United States.
Rev. Dr. Eddie J. Smith, in his book Halloween, Hallowed Be Thy Name, offers a religious perspective to the wearing of costumes on All Hallows' Eve, suggesting that by dressing up as creatures "who at one time caused us to fear and tremble", people are able to poke fun at Satan "whose kingdom has been plundered by our Saviour." Images of skeletons and the dead are traditional decorations used as memento mori.[128][129]
UNICEF[edit]
Main article: Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF
"Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF" is a fundraising program to support UNICEF,[65] a United Nations Programme that provides humanitarian aid to children in developing countries. Started as a local event in a Northeast Philadelphia neighborhood in 1950 and expanded nationally in 1952, the program involves the distribution of small boxes by schools (or in modern times, corporate sponsors like Hallmark, at their licensed stores) to trick-or-treaters, in which they can solicit small-change donations from the houses they visit. It is estimated that children have collected more than $118 million for UNICEF since its inception. In Canada, in 2006, UNICEF decided to discontinue their Halloween collection boxes, citing safety and administrative concerns; after consultation with schools, they instead redesigned the program.[130][131]
Games and other activities[edit]
There are several games traditionally associated with Halloween parties. One common game is dunking or apple bobbing, which may be called "dooking" in Scotland[132] in which apples float in a tub or a large basin of water and the participants must use their teeth to remove an apple from the basin. The practice is thought by some to have derived from the Roman practices in celebration of Pomona.[65] A variant of dunking involves kneeling on a chair, holding a fork between the teeth and trying to drive the fork into an apple. Another common game involves hanging up treacle or syrup-coated scones by strings; these must be eaten without using hands while they remain attached to the string, an activity that inevitably leads to a very sticky face.
Some games traditionally played at Halloween are forms of divination. In All Hallows' Eve celebrations during the Middle Ages, these activities historically occurred only in rural areas of medieval Europe and were only done by a "rare few" as these were considered to be "deadly serious" practices.[73] A traditional Scottish form of divining one's future spouse is to carve an apple in one long strip, then toss the peel over one's shoulder. The peel is believed to land in the shape of the first letter of the future spouse's name.[133] Unmarried women were told that if they sat in a darkened room and gazed into a mirror on Halloween night, the face of their future husband would appear in the mirror. However, if they were destined to die before marriage, a skull would appear. The custom was widespread enough to be commemorated on greeting cards[134] from the late 19th century and early 20th century.
Another game/superstition that was enjoyed in the early 1900s involved walnut shells. People would write fortunes in milk on white paper. After drying, the paper was folded and placed in walnut shells. When the shell was warmed, milk would turn brown therefore the writing would appear on what looked like blank paper. Folks would also play fortune teller. In order to play this game, symbols were cut out of paper and placed on a platter. Someone would enter a dark room and was ordered to put her hand on a piece of ice then lay it on a platter. Her "fortune" would stick to the hand. Paper symbols included: dollar sign-wealth, button-bachelorhood, thimble-spinsterhood, clothespin- poverty, rice-wedding, umbrella- journey, caldron-trouble, 4-leaf clover- good luck, penny-fortune, ring-early marriage, and key-fame.[135]
The telling of ghost stories and viewing of horror films are common fixtures of Halloween parties. Episodes of television series andHallowe'en-themed specials (with the specials usually aimed at children) are commonly aired on or before Halloween, while new horror films are often released theatrically before Halloween to take advantage of the atmosphere.
Haunted attractions[edit]
Main article: Haunted attraction (simulated)
Haunted attractions are entertainment venues designed to thrill and scare patrons. Most attractions are seasonal Halloween businesses. Origins of these paid scare venues are difficult to pinpoint, but it is generally accepted that they were first commonly used by the Junior Chamber International (Jaycees) for fundraising.[136] They include haunted houses, corn mazes, and hayrides,[137] and the level of sophistication of the effects has risen as the industry has grown. Haunted attractions in the United States bring in an estimate $300–500 million each year, and draw some 400,000 customers, although press sources writing in 2005 speculated that the industry had reached its peak at that time.[136] This maturing and growth within the industry has led to technically more advanced special effects and costuming, comparable with that of Hollywood films.[138]
Food[edit]
Because in the Northern Hemisphere Halloween comes in the wake of the yearly apple harvest, candy apples (known as toffee apples outside North America), caramel or taffy apples are common Halloween treats made by rolling whole apples in a sticky sugar syrup, sometimes followed by rolling them in nuts.
At one time, candy apples were commonly given to trick-or-treating children, but the practice rapidly waned in the wake of widespread rumors that some individuals were embedding items like pins and razor blades in the apples in the United States.[139] While there is evidence of such incidents,[140] relative to the degree of reporting of such cases, actual cases involving malicious acts are extremely rare and have never resulted in serious injury. Nonetheless, many parents assumed that such heinous practices were rampant because of the mass media. At the peak of the hysteria, some hospitals offered free X-rays of children's Halloween hauls in order to find evidence of tampering. Virtually all of the few known candy poisoning incidents involved parents who poisoned their own children's candy.[141]
One custom that persists in modern-day Ireland is the baking (or more often nowadays, the purchase) of a barmbrack (Irish: báirín breac), which is a light fruitcake, into which a plain ring, a coin and other charms are placed before baking. It is said that those who get a ring will find their true love in the ensuing year. This is similar to the tradition of king cake at the festival of Epiphany.
List of foods associated with Halloween:
- Barmbrack (Ireland)
- Bonfire toffee (Great Britain)
- Candy apples/toffee apples (Great Britain and Ireland)
- Candy apples, Candy corn, candy pumpkins (North America)
- Monkey nuts (peanuts in their shells) (Scotland and Ireland)
- Caramel apples
- Caramel corn
- Colcannon (Ireland; see below)
- Novelty candy shaped like skulls, pumpkins, bats, worms, etc.
- Pumpkin, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread
- Roasted pumpkin seeds
- Roasted sweet corn
- Soul cakes
Religious observances[edit]
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On Hallowe'en (All Hallows' Eve), in Poland, believers are taught to pray out loud as they walk through the forests in order that the souls of the dead might find comfort; in Spain, Christian priests toll their church bells in order to remind their congregants to remember the dead on All Hallows' Eve.[142] In Ireland, and among immigrants in Canada, a custom includes the Christian practice of abstinence, keeping All Hallows' Eve "as a meatless day with pancakes or Callcannon" being served instead.[143] In Mexico, on "All Hallows Eve, the children make a children's altar to invite the angelitos (spirits of dead children) to come back for a visit."[144] The Christian Church traditionally observed Hallowe'en through a vigil "when worshippers would prepare themselves with prayers and fasting prior to the feast day itself."[145] Thischurch service is known as the Vigil of All Hallows or the Vigil of All Saints;[146][147] an initiative known as Night of Light seeks to further spread the Vigil of All Hallows throughout Christendom.[148][149] After the service, "suitable festivities and entertainments" often follow, as well as a visit to the graveyard or cemetery, where flowers and candles are often placed in preparation for All Hallows' Day.[150][151] InFinland, because so many people visit the cemeteries on All Hallows' Eve to light votive candles there, they "are known as valomeri, or seas of light."[152]
Perspectives[edit]
Christianity[edit]
Christian attitudes towards Halloween are diverse. In the Anglican Church, some dioceses have chosen to emphasize the Christian traditions associated with All Hallow's Eve.[153][154] Some of these practises include praying, fasting and attending worship services.[1][2][3]
Father, All-Powerful and Ever-Living God, today we rejoice in the holy men and women of every time and place. May their prayers bring us your forgiveness and love. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. —All Hallow's Eve Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours[155]
Other Protestant Christians also celebrate All Hallows' Eve as Reformation Day, a day to remember theProtestant Reformation, alongside All Hallow's Eve or independently from it.[156][157] This is because Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to All Saints' Church in Wittenberg on All Hallows' Eve, because hundreds of visitors would come to the church during the celebration of Hallowtide.[158] Often, "Harvest Festivals" or "Reformation Festivals" are held on All Hallows' Eve, in which children dress up as Bible characters or Reformers.[159] In addition to distributing candy to children who are trick-or-treating on Hallowe'en, many Christians also provide gospel tracts to them. One organization, the American Tract Society, stated that around 3 million gospel tracts are ordered from them alone for Hallowe'en celebrations.[160] Others order Halloween-themed Scripture Candy to pass out to children on this day.[161]
Some Christians feel concerned about the modern celebration of Halloween because they feel it trivializes – or celebrates – paganism, the occult, or other practices and cultural phenomena deemed incompatible with their beliefs.[162] Father Gabriele Amorth, an exorcist in Rome, has said, "if English and American children like to dress up as witches and devils on one night of the year that is not a problem. If it is just a game, there is no harm in that."[163] In more recent years, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston has organized a "Saint Fest" on Halloween.[164] Similarly, many contemporary Protestant churches view Halloween as a fun event for children, holding events in their churches where children and their parents can dress up, play games, and get candy for free. Many Christians ascribe no negative significance to Halloween, treating it as a fun event devoted to "imaginary spooks" and handing out candy. To these Christians, Halloween holds no threat to the spiritual lives of children: being taught about death and mortality, and the ways of the Celtic ancestors actually being a valuable life lesson and a part of many of their parishioners' heritage.[165]
In the Roman Catholic Church, Halloween's Christian connection is cited, and Halloween celebrations are common in Catholic parochial schoolsthroughout North America and in Ireland.[166] Many fundamentalist and evangelical churches use "Hell houses", themed pamphlets, or comic-styletracts such as those created by Jack T. Chick in order to make use of Halloween's popularity as an opportunity for evangelism.[164] Some consider Halloween to be completely incompatible with the Christian faith due to its putative origins in the Festival of the Dead celebration.[167] Indeed, even though Eastern Orthodox Christians observe All Hallows' Day on the First Sunday after Pentecost, the Eastern Orthodox Church recommends the observance of Vespers and/or a Paraklesis on the Western observance of All Hallows' Eve, out of the pastoral need to provide an alternative to popular celebrations.[168]
Other religions[edit]
The reaction of non-Christian religions towards Halloween has often been mixed, ranging from stern disapproval to the allowance of participation in it. According to Alfred J. Kolatch in the Second Jewish Book of Why, in Judaism, Halloween is not permitted by Jewish Halakha because it violates Leviticus 18:3 which forbids Jews from partaking in gentile customs. Many Jews observe Yizkor, which is equivalent to the observance of Hallowtide in Christianity, as prayers are said for both "martyrs and for one's own family."[169]Nevertheless many American Jews celebrate Halloween, disconnected from its Christian origins.[170] Reform Rabbi Jeffrey Goldwasser has said that “There is no religious reason why contemporary Jews should not celebrate Halloween" while Orthodox Rabbi Michael Broyde has argued against Jews observing the holiday.[171] Sheikh Idris Palmer, author ofA Brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam , has argued that Muslims should not participate in Halloween, stating that "participation in it is similar to one commemorating Christmas or Easter, or congratulating the Christians upon their prostration to the crucifix".[172] Javed Memon, a Muslim writer, has disagreed, saying that his "daughter dressing up like a British telephone booth will not destroy her faith".[173] Most Hindus do not observe All Hallows' Eve, instead remembering the dead in the festival of Pitru Paksha, during which Hindus pay homage to and perform a ceremony "to keep the souls of their ancestors at rest."[174] The celebration of the Hindu festival Diwali sometimes conflicts with the date of Halloween; but some Hindus choose to participate in the popular customs of Halloween.[175] Other Hindus, such as Soumya Dasgupta, have opposed the celebration on the grounds that Western holidays like Halloween have "begun to adversely affect our indigenous festivals."[176] Neopagans do not observe Halloween, but instead observeSamhain on 1 November,[177] although some neopagan individuals choose to participate in cultural Halloween festivities, opining the idea that one can observe both "the solemnity of Samhain in addition to the fun of Halloween." Other neopagans are opposed to the celebration of Halloween, believing that it "trivializes Samhain",[178] and "avoid Halloween, because of the interruptions from trick or treaters."[179] The Manitoban writes that "Wiccans don’t officially celebrate Halloween, despite the fact that Oct. 31 will still have a star beside it in any good Wiccan’s day planner. Starting at sundown, Wiccans celebrate a holiday known as Samhain. Samhain actually comes from old Celtic traditions and is not exclusive to Neopagan religions like Wicca. While the traditions of this holiday originate in Celtic countries, modern day Wiccans don’t try to historically replicate Samhain celebrations. Some traditional Samhain rituals are still practised but at its core, the holiday is simply a time to celebrate darkness and the dead — a possible reason why Samhain is often confused with Halloween celebrations."[177]
Around the world[edit]
Main article: Halloween around the world
The traditions and importance of Halloween vary greatly among countries that observe it. In Scotland and Ireland, traditional Halloween customs include children dressing up in costume going "guising", holding parties, while other practices in Ireland include lighting bonfires, and having firework displays.[180][181] In Brittany children would set candles in skulls in graveyards.[182] Mass transatlantic immigration in the 19th century popularized Halloween in North America, and celebration in the United States and Canada has had a significant impact on how the event is observed in other nations. This larger North American influence, particularly in iconic and commercial elements, has extended to places such as South America, Australia,[183] New Zealand,[184] (most) continental Europe, Japan, and other parts of East Asia.[185] In the Philippines, on the night of Halloween, Filipinos return to their hometowns and purchase candles and flowers,[186] in preparation for the following All Saints Day and All Souls Day (Araw ng Patay) on 1 November.[187]
See also[edit]
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