Halloween Traditions Around the World

Halloween is an annual holiday celebrated on October 31.

On this day, people dress up in amusing outfits and go trick-or-treating in search of sweet candy.

Ghosts and haunted houses are also recognizable parts of the Halloween tradition.

Halloween was originally dedicated to remembering the dead.

Incidentally, there are several other cultures that commemorate the dead on this same day.

Let's take a look at some of them.

 

@ Samhain

 

Samhain is an Irish holiday that marks the end of the harvest season.

It was celebrated thousands of years ago by the ancient Celts and is thought to be the origin of Halloween.

They believed that spirits or fairies could enter the human world on this day.

Today, people celebrate Samhain by building large bonfires, eating traditional foods like barmbrack, and playing games.

One game, "knock-a-dolly," involves children knocking on doors and running away before anyone answers.

 

@ The Day of the Dead

 

Celebrated in Mexico, this tradition honors family members who have passed away.

It represents a time when the souls of the dead are thought to return to Earth for 24 hours to be with their loved ones.

On the Day of the Dead, families make offerings of fruits, flowers, and even tortillas, to the spirits.

 

@ tortilla

 

Many cities in Mexico also host huge parades in which people paint their faces like skeletons.

 

@ The Day of Dracula

 

Romania is home to Bran Castle, where Vlad Tepes is said to have lived.

Tepes was a medieval prince who had a reputation for cruelty.

He would later serve as the inspiration for the fictional vampire, Count Dracula.

On October 31, people gather at Bran Castle and throw parties in memory of this legendary monster.

 

• trick  trɪk  속임수, (골탕을 먹이기 위한) 장난[농담] (→confidence trick, dirty trick) /  속이다, 속임수를 쓰다

• treat  triːt  (특정한 태도로) 대하다[다루다/취급하다/대우하다] /  간식 (=snack)

• haunted  ˈhɔːntɪd  귀신[유령]이 나오는 ,   겁에 질린, 걱정이 가득한   haunt  hɔːnt  (어떤 장소에) 귀신[유령]이 나타나다[출몰하다]

• dedicate  ˈdedɪkeɪt  (시간·노력을) 바치다, 전념[헌신]하다 (=devote) /  (책·음악 작품·공연을) 헌정하다[바치다]

• Incidentally  ˌɪnsɪˈdentli   그런데, 그건 그렇고 (=by the way)  /   부수적으로, 우연히 / 공교롭게도

• commemorate  kəˈmeməreɪt   (중요 인물·사건을) 기념하다

• mark mɑːrk   (표기호 등으로) 표시하다 /  자국[흔적] 

• fairy  ˈferi   (이야기 속의) 요정 (→tooth fairy)

• bonfire  |bɑːnfaɪə(r)   모닥불

• involve  ɪnˈvɑːlv   (중요 요소로·필연적으로) 수반[포함]하다 (=entail)  (상황·사건·활동이 사람을) 관련[연루]시키다 ,  참여시키다

• represent  ˌreprɪˈzent   (행사·회의 등에서 단체 등을) 대표[대신]하다   representative  ˌreprɪˈzentətɪv  대표(자) /   (특정 단체를) 대표하는

• offerings  제물 , 매물  make offerings   제물을 바치다

• skeleton  ˈskelɪtn  뼈대, 골격, 해골

• medieval  |medi│iːvl  중세의

• cruelty ˈkruːəlti  잔인함, 학대 (↔kindness)

• Count  káunt  (영국 이외의) 백작

• inspiration  ˌɪnspəˈreɪʃn    (특히 예술적 창조를 가능하게 하는) 영감

• legendary  |ledʒənderi  전설적인, 아주 유명한   legend  ˈledʒənd  전설 (=myth) (→urban myth)