How Halloween is Celebrated Around the Globe

Halloween in Transylvania – yes you read that right! The Transylvanian Society of Dracula will hold their annual Halloween party in Sighisoara – the best preserved 15 century-walled town in Europe, the birth-place of Prince Vlad the Impaler, and the site of many witch trials. Everybody is encouraged to wear their wholesale christmas costumes  and hopefully the ladies will vie for Miss Transylvania.

In Czechoslovakia, families remember the dead by eating special cakes, drinking cold milk (it’s supposed to cool the souls roasting in purgatory) and placing chairs by the fireside. Halloween is mostly spent remembering the deceased relatives and ancestors. Most families spend their time in cemeteries.

In the Philippines, Halloween is as commercial as it gets – although in earlier times, kids pretending to be the souls of the dead, sing a song for Halloween from one house to another, hoping to get food, or money, or well – any kind of treat. Pranks are pulled on houses that don’t give any.

Teng Chieh in China – Food and water are placed in front of photographs of departed loved ones, and lanterns are lit to light the path of the spirits as they descend upon the earth. Japan has a similar event, only it is called Obon Festival.

Sweden sounds like a lot of fun! Alla Helgons Dag (Halloween to them) is celebrated from Oct 31 – Nov 6! How cool is that! Imagine trick or treating, partying, or just having some spooky old fun for 1 week!?