Interview [Issue 28] Halloween Around the World

[Valletta 834]

 

Vastly referred to as Halloween, or All Saints Day, this spooky celebration supposedly sets its origin from an ancient pagan festival celebrated by Celtic people over 2,000 years ago, who claimed that “the dead could walk among the living at this time”. Hence, its celebration nowadays on the British isles and across North America is a given, considering how closely related such traditions are there.

 

However, how is Halloween celebrated in countries where there isn’t much of an equivalent to the ominous eve ruled my monsters and spooks? In this issue we will build upon 's article from last year and look at some of those, who don’t have Halloween as a traditional celebration.

 

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Bulgaria, represented by, uhh… @Valletta

 

- Hello, could you answer some questions?

- Val: Of course, person whom I’ve never met before.

- Great. I’d like you to describe how/if you celebrate Halloween in your country? What is it like?

 

Val: Well, here there isn’t a traditional celebration for exactly that festival, but we have acquired an equivalent, called “Вси Светии“, directly translating to “All Saints”. It is announced on the news and it is present, i.e everyone acknowledges it, but there’s no traditional Trick-or-treating, at least none that I’m aware of. I remember dressing up with some friends when we were younger and going out one night, and it was actually quite funny – each doorstep we visited was rather amazed that someone actually trick-or-treats in this place, and we were welcomed by a plethora of make-do treats from different households. In more recent years, thanks to the almighty internet my generation in particular celebrates it in a humble, though still existent manner. For example, my school decorated its hallways and we had some Jack-o-lanterns lying around, but it was more so organized by students than an official event.

 

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United Kingdom (a more realistic portrayal), represented by 

 

Slightly: Here in the UK/England, we celebrate as the Americans do, just not as big. We mainly do it through themed parties rather than trick-or-treating, most people dress up and go to farms and rave all night which normally get shut down. In Norfolk where I live, beware: people in the UK can be mean when you knock on their door lol. Here in particular people are just rude! I mean, you don't get sweets at all - it's everyone's a comedian giving you god knows what but as said before people don't do it big except the decorations. Mainly you just go to Halloween-themed parties.

 

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Montenegro, represented my 

 

Mia: Here Halloween is called "Noc Vjestica" (translating to “Night of Witches”). What’s important is that we gave it a name, but we don't really celebrate it. I was once on a Halloween party organized by the American Embassy and I can say it was fun, but costumes were not as scary as I expected them to be. What I liked the most was the variety of sweets.

I'm not much a party type of person, but I think that people here are 'celebrating' it in random cafe bars or places which are organized by students (just for fun). I don't feel any Halloween spirit here, but who knows, maybe soon things are going to change.

 

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Pakistan, represented by @FaaiqBilal1

 

Faaiq: It's not really celebrated in my country. Only those who have any foreign knowledge at all would know about the holiday in the first place. However, some people do celebrate it, just for the fun of it. It's not an all-known celebration, you get my point. We don't get any holidays for it, since it's not anything national. If someone does celebrate it, it's usually that same stereotypical celebration of 'Trick n' Treat!' thing for kids. Adults don't really care much for it at all. So, as you understand, there is no national importance of Halloween here, it usually goes unnoticed. Since the majority of our population is Muslim, we don't really have to celebrate it. As far as my knowledge serves, it's a Christian festival, I may be wrong though.... I beg your pardon. There is a Christian population here, but I don't really know whether or not they celebrate Halloween in a special manner. However the internet really has affected us all, I can clearly indicate that the amount of people who know about Halloween is drastically higher than it was 5 years ago. I can almost predict that almost everyone might celebrate it in a few years! (I suck at predictions, just so you know).

Happy Halloween!

 

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The Netherlands, represented by @datie9

 

Datie: In The Netherlands Halloween is not that big of an event, but there is some attention paid to it. Most schools and some cafes/bars organize parties with Halloween dress-codes, but that's honestly all there is. And about any specialties we have here?... PUMPKIN CARVING! As to other things though, I think that wraps it up.

 

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Armenia, represented by 

 

Arm: Well, I'm from Armenia, as you know. Here we don't celebrate Halloween, because despite being a famous holiday, it is not very popular here. Everybody knows about it, for sure, but not everybody really celebrates it. But it's becoming more and more popular among young people. Like... making faces on pumpkins telling scary stories... But still, no scary costumes yet :P

 

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France, represented by 

 

Sniper: Like every country we celebrate Halloween normally, that means the kids go trick-or-treating dressed up as scary figures. Teenagers usually party at a friend's house (Me too actually :P) And if you are celebrating outside of Paris, there might be even some farms or houses that offer pumpkin for your enjoyment. And, this may not apply to all of France, but we usually scare the last person who comes to the party, a punishment for being late :P Then we celebrate till late after midnight in a small cramped apartment in Paris... the older people or maybe young adults rent a whole bar or restaurant which are everywhere in Paris and drink there all night with their friends. In my opinion it isn't really celebrated in a unique way and celebrated normally.

 

Overlapping holidays… October 31 to November 2 - those are the days which are called Touissant, and the reason why I have a vacation right now. It's about going to churches & etc., AFAIK I don't think it has anything to do with Halloween, and some older French people are mad because they recognize Halloween as an exclusively American holiday.

 

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My apologies if your country hasn’t been mentioned here – it may be in last year’s article, and if not, it may very well get featured in next year’s “Halloween around the world”.

 

I wish you all to carry on with whatever unique celebration you have in your country and of course, enjoy all the treats that Tanki Online has in stock for you!

 

[Mr.I3oSS 557]

Nice job val.

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Looking forward to see my country in da Article next time :)

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[HolyLord 204]

Thank you [member='Valetta' for this interesting Halloween celebrating.Every country celebrates diferently.In my country Lithuania nobody don't celebrate it.

 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

[MA3CTPO_HA_XAHTEP 832]

Nice article.

Happy Halloween to all. :)

[kmakanaka 11]

Really interesting to read Val.

[lordmostafa 3,821]

Great work buddy!

[SonicTemplar 10]

nice

nice

[B_L_4_C_K_G_O_L_D 171]

HAPPY HOLLOWEEN TO ALL THE CONTRIES, can see few of my friends over there :P

[im_a_beast_ye 0]

no Ireland :( but still cool :)

[I.Prince_of_Albania 278]

no albania :( full world detail :p

[Valletta 834]

Thanks for the positive responses everyone ^_^

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no Ireland :( but still cool :)

You can find it written here.

[thelastremnant 120]

in my country ( Lithuania ) its called "Velines" and we're going into cemetery to respect dead ones

[aBdUlLaHkInGg 39]

Nice one Valetta.

[Magnificence 126]

Yep, Nice one Indeed ;)

Like to see my Country nest time :P

[datie9 72]

Good job Val! :)

[naca7 143]

Nice Job!

Very Interesting!

[Valletta 834]

 

 

Mexico, representates by

In my country celebrates the "Dia de muertos" (Day of the dead) on November 1 and November 2, where an offering is placed (Where the deceased nice food, water, bread of the dead, skulls included sweet (where in the forehead of the skull is written the name), marigold flowers, and so on), where the 1 November the souls of children return to visit, and the souls of the adults return 2 November.

 

 

 

A good example for a offering.

 

"Pan de muerto" (Bread of dead)

 

Paper chopped

*The paper say "Dia de muertos" (Day of the dead)

 

 

 

Some children dress up as scary characters, examples like "Chucky, Freddy Kruger, The girl of Exorcist (Regan McNeil), Jason", pumpkins, werewolves, witches, ghosts, so on, only for sweetmeats :lol: .

That does not correspond to the Mexican tradition, but as a "Halloween in Mexico."

 

 

That's great! Thanks, I might add it to the official one :)

[Eragon 13,876]

Did you ask ydzero for the logo? Or did you just take it? It seems wrong not to credit him.

[Raging_Rabbit 1]

Do Australia next year - then again, I think we do it much the same as the Americans