Boo! Happy Halloween!!

Boo! Trick or treat! Happy Halloween! The day where everyone eats pounds of candy, dresses up in costumes, and carve pumpkins. This scary day is celebrated throughout the world. Children are excited to dress up as their favorite characters and get loads of candy. Older adults are happy to dress up and spend time with their children. Others just enjoy the costume parties. This day brings people together to celebrate.

As a young child, I remember that in school we would spend the whole day doing Halloween related things. We were allowed to dress up; we would all bring in candy and pass it out. The teachers would read us scary stories and … Nowadays, as a high school student, I have noticed only a few people taking part in the festivities. In our large school, only a few people dressed up. Most people even forgot that it was Halloween!! So today I am going to tell people about this wonderful day and how it is celebrated throughout the world in hopes that it will bring up the Halloween spirit in people. Hope you enjoy.

It is believed that Halloween started in Ireland. In the rural areas of this country, bonfires would be lit, children would go trick-or-treating, and all of this would be followed by parties at a neighbor’s or friend’s house. At these parties, fun games would be played and yummy food was eaten. One particular food was especially special. This traditional food is called barnbrack, a fruitcake that has a muslin-wrapped treat inside. The treat is believed to predict the future. Also, many children would play tricks on their neighbors, hence the trick part in trick-or-treating.

Belgians were the inventors of the idea that black cats are unlucky when they cross your path or enter a home. They would leave candles at night in memory of dead relatives. Austrians leave bread, a light, and water on a table before going to bed, because it is believed that it draws the dead souls back. Czechoslovakians set chairs for the living members and non-living members of their families around a fire. The English came up with the idea of punkies, which are large beets carved with designs, much like a jack-o-lantern. The French do not celebrate Halloween for the dead, but as an American holiday, where people in costumes go to various parties.

In Asian countries, like China, it is called something else. The Chinese celebrate Teng Chieh, where food and water is placed in front of the dead family members, while lanterns and bonfires are lit to guide the souls and spirits. Japan celebrates Obon Festival, much similar to the Halloween festivities and is dedicated to the dead. Special foods are made and like in China, fires are set. Hong Kong celebrates Yue Lan, Hungry Ghosts, where it is believed that for a day the spirits freely roam the earth.

As we can see, Halloween is a celebration of the dead and of spirits. In America and in the more popularized or commercialized Halloween, various traditions have been put together. Here in America, people dress up and go trick-or-treating. This is mainly done by the kids, who are accompanied by their parents. They go candy hunting in their neighborhoods. Also, people carve pumpkins and create jack-o-lanterns, much like the British punkies. Over the years, various traditions have come together to create the amazing festivities of Halloween. Some may argue that the true value of worshipping and honoring the dead is not as prominent, which may be true. However, we still celebrate with friends and family, which may be even better.

Though some of us may have forgotten about Halloween, remember that it is one great celebration with a rich history. It is a festivity that is celebrated all around the world in various ways, but for pretty much the same reasons, that’s what makes Halloween unique compared to other holidays. So when you are out and about tonight, have a great time trick-or-treating in costumes, but also remember its true meaning of remembering the dead.

 

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