Top Ten Halloween Celebrating Countries

Halloween is not traditionally celebrated in all countries, but it has gained popularity in some regions around the world. Here are the top 10 countries that are known to celebrate Halloween:

• United States – Halloween is widely celebrated in the United States, with many people decorating their homes and dressing up in costumes for parties and trick-or-treating.
• Canada – Halloween is also popular in Canada, with many communities hosting events such as parades, haunted houses, and pumpkin carving contests.
• Ireland – Halloween originated in Ireland as the festival of Samhain, and it is still celebrated with traditional customs such as lighting bonfires and carving turnips.
• United Kingdom – Halloween is becoming more popular in the UK, with many people decorating their homes and participating in costume parties.
• Mexico – In Mexico, Halloween is celebrated as part of the Day of the Dead festivities, which honor deceased loved ones.
• Australia – While not as widely celebrated as in some other countries, Halloween is becoming more popular in Australia, with many people participating in costume parties and trick-or-treating.
• New Zealand – Halloween is also gaining popularity in New Zealand, with many people hosting Halloween-themed events.
• Germany – Halloween is becoming increasingly popular in Germany, with many people celebrating with costume parties and pumpkin carving contests.
• France – Halloween is not traditionally celebrated in France, but it has gained some popularity in recent years, particularly among young people.
• Spain – While not as widely celebrated as in some other countries, Halloween is becoming more popular in Spain, with many people hosting costume parties and attending themed events.

Halloween or Hallowe’en, which means “holy evening” or “hallowed evening” is a festival celebrated every year on October 31, the eve of the Western Christian festivities on All Hallows’ Day. The festival is also called Allhalloween, All Saints’ Eve or All Haloows’ Eve. With it commences the tridum (a religious observance that lasts for three days from October 31 to November 2) of Allsaintstide or Allhallowtide. It is a time specifically devoted for the solemn remembrance of the saints, martyrs, and all loyal christians. With days becoming shorter and the air becoming crisper, the excitement of the people knows no bounds in anticipation of the darkest and the eeriest festival of the year. Traditional Halloween activities comprise of bonfires, neighborhood trick-or-treating (a program for fundraising in order to aid UNICEF), costume parties, watching horror movies, visiting haunted places, and several other such freaky activities. Besides these, masks are worn in order to imitate the unholy spirits. Some families and communities carve lanterns out of pumpkins or other vegetables with ‘spooky’ faces and adorn their homes and lawns in Halloween style. These are traditional ways meant for warding off evil spirits. Also, in other parts of the world such activities as lighting candles on the tomb of the dead and taking part in church rituals still remain famous.

History

Halloween that dates back to 1745 has its origin in christianity and the age-old Celtic festival dubbed as Samhain (pronounced as ”sah-win”). The Samhain festival in Gaelic culture is celebrated at the close of the harvest season. It was a time when ancient pagans used to accumulate the stock for supplies and then used to make preparations for winter. The Gaels had their belief that on October 31, the borderline between this world (the living world) and that world (the world of the dead) would overlap and the dead would return and cause destruction such as spreading disease and ruining crops. Gradually the history progressed and the activities or the festivities became widespread in the US, Ireland, Canada, England, Mexico, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, Germany, and Netherlands. And, presently these are the top ten Halloween celebrating countries in the world. WBASH141014