Halloween is celebrated differently around the world. Many people have different traditions and celebrations around this time of year. This year Halloween lands on a Thursday and luckily for us coyotes we have no school the day after November first! We students got lucky because it is a staff development day.
History of Halloween
Going back in time into the 5th century BC was when halloween was called, “ All Hallow’s Eve. “ Before Halloween was even a thing there was a holiday called Samhain. It was celebrated November 1st and was called the “ All Saints Day. “ According to this blog they state, “Most of the colonists were English Puritans who celebrated Samhain before traveling to their new Country.” Of course with Halloween it comes with dressing up, going out to trick-o-treat, and having Halloween parties which has been around since the mid 1800’s coming from Irish immigrants. Back then pranking on halloween was something they always did, instead of candy they used to ask around for food and money.
Is Halloween celebrated around the world?
Surprisingly enough Halloween is celebrated around the world, and the festivities can change from place to place! To start off, Mexico celebrates it on the 31st like us and kids in Mexico as well go out trick or treating. They take that day to prepare for their celebration which is Dia de los Muertos ( day of the dead) which lands on November 1st & 2nd. In Japan they just recently started to incorporate Halloween. Although they don’t go out trick or treating, they still celebrate by dressing up and going to parties or clubs. Instead of Halloween, Italians celebrate Ognissanti which is dedicated to saints. In Italy, how they celebrate differs from their regions. According to this website they state, “ In Sicily, the deceased rise from the dead to bring gifts to well-behaved children, while children in Sardinia go door to door to ask for offerings from the deceased. “Romans will eat a meal near the gravesites of loved ones, while people in the region of Abruzzo and Trentino fashion lanterns by placing candles in pumpkins.” It’s really fascinating to see how different cultures celebrate.
What is the age limit for trick or treating?
Most of the time trick or treating is mostly for the younger audience, But when is it time for this young audience to stop trick or treating? Many think that there shouldn’t be a limit because everyone deserves to have fun. Teenagers and parents enjoy this night because it gives them a chance to de-stress and enjoy time with friends and family. For the most part California doesn’t have a law against tennagers or parents trick or treating. According to this website Virginia state has a law limiting trick or treaters from the age 14 and under. The article states, “ older trick-or-treaters can even be charged with a Class 4 misdemeanor. In Charleston, South Carolina the article states, “ Charleston restricts trick-or-treating for teens over 16, who also aren’t allowed to wear a mask in public places. “ It’s super interesting to see how different states take Halloween seriously and have laws against it when it’s too old to be trick or treating.
Pros and Cons of Halloween
Halloween is very fun but it has its pros and cons. First we will start with the cons, them being it can be too expensive, cultural appropriation, and excess sugar consumption. Halloween costumes aren’t cheap and if some parents have more than one child it can add up. Some people DIY their costumes to save money. Cultural appropriation is something that happens no matter what. According to this article they state, “Examples of cultural appropriation include, but are not limited to: A person who is not Indigenous wearing feathered headdresses or traditional regalia as costumes during Halloween.” The article also states that, “When folks are participating in this type of behavior, it negates and trivializes the historical, cultural and ancestral practices that are sacred and meaningful.” Costumes like that can be very offensive to the type of community the costume is of. On Halloween after a full night of trick or treating kids love to see their final result in how much candy they received. This article states, “A typical child collects 3,500 to 7,000 calories in candy on the spooky holiday, one public health expert estimated. ” Eating too much sugar can lead to health issues like obesity, diabetes, and heart diseases. Intaking too much sugar can also lead to a sugar binge. Now we will state the Pros. them being creativity & imagination, social interaction, and fun & entertainment. Going back to DIY-ing costumes it has to deal a lot with creativity & imagination. It allows kids to express themselves at a different level. Now socializing can be very important but it can also be nerve racking. This article says, “ Going door-to-door and socializing with friends and neighbors, helps in the development of feelings and building self-esteem. Children also engage in conversations that will help them work with others in society. “ Everyone knows Halloween can be fun whether it’s trick-o-treating, carving pumpkins, watching movies, or hanging out with friends.
What are the locations that go all out for Halloween?
All around the world there are different places that go all out for Halloween! Buena Park being one of them. It’s best known for Knott’s Scary Farm and their amazing mazes. They also have haunted houses that people love. According to this website Salem has, “ The infamous setting for the Witch Trials of 1692 has a reputation for being full of supernatural oddities. Witch museums, witch-trial re-enactments, and magic shops fill the city during the Halloween season. “ While visiting Salem they also have, “ Parades, film screenings, psychic readings, and more throughout the entire month.”
Student interviews
The first person we interviewed was Andrea Lopez, she celebrates halloween and her favorite part about halloween is the weather and the decorations. We asked her what was she planning to dress up as for halloween? She said “I’m planning to be a strawberry this halloween”. Her favorite candy to receive during trick or treating is Hershey’s cookies and cream chocolate. We asked her what she dislikes about Halloween. She said “There’s nothing I don’t dislike”.
The second person we interviewed was Lourdes Cardenas. Lourdes does not celebrate Halloween due to her religion. She thinks it’s still appropriate for teens to trick or treat because they should have fun. We asked her, “how do you think halloween affects the community, or do you think it affects the community”? She said “No, I don’t think it affects it because everybody’s just out and about having fun. She agrees with having the next day off for halloween.
The third person we interviewed was Cecilia, who celebrates halloween. She is planning to dress up as either Tinkerbell or any Disney princess. She thinks that the district gave students a lot of days off because they know a lot of students are out late and they come back home late, and they need time to sleep. We asked her what she thinks about halloween spirit week at BPHS. She said “ I think it’s very cute”.
The last person we interviewed was TJ. He doesn’t typically celebrate Halloween, yet he thinks it is still appropriate for teens to dress up and trick or treat. He thinks that we shouldn’t have the day off after Halloween.
Halloween has changed a lot over the years. It started with the ancient Celtic festival called Samhain, which marked the end of the harvest and the start of winter. As time went on, with the influence of different cultures and religions, Halloween turned into the fun celebration we know today, with costumes, trick-or-treating, and parties. The way different cultures celebrate Halloween now shows how history and traditions have mixed together, and it’s cool to see how people all over the world enjoy this spooky season.
