Not every country celebrates Halloween, but many observe this darker, reflective turn of the calendar with lights, sweets, costumes, or visits to ancestors.
Here’s a whirlwind tour of October–early November traditions that share the season’s big themes: harvest’s end, remembrance, and a little playful fright.
Celtic roots (Ireland, Scotland, Isle of Man, Wales)
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Samhain (Ireland/Scotland): Bonfires, disguises (“guising”), games, and fortune-telling marked summer’s end. Early lanterns were carved from turnips, the ancestor of today’s pumpkin jack-o’-lanterns. In Ireland, barmbrack fruit bread sometimes hides charms for good luck.
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Hop-tu-Naa (Isle of Man): Children parade with carved turnips and songs on 31 October—one of the closest living cousins to old Samhain customs.
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Noson Galan Gaeaf (Wales): A night of stories and protective charms as winter begins.
Mexico (and beyond): Days of the Dead
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Día de Muertos (Nov 1–2): Families build ofrendas (altars) with marigolds, photos, and favourite foods to welcome loved ones home. Sugar skulls and pan de muerto are iconic, but the mood is tender and celebratory rather than scary.
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Guatemala: Giant kite festivals fill the sky in Sumpango and Santiago Sacatepéquez to symbolically connect with ancestors.
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Ecuador/Bolivia/Peru: Regional “All Souls” traditions feature special breads and drinks shared in cemeteries with family.
Southern Europe
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Spain: Todos los Santos (All Saints’ Day) honours the departed; in Catalonia, La Castanyada means roasted chestnuts and almond panellets.
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Portugal: Pão-por-Deus (Nov 1) has children going door-to-door for small treats—an older cousin to trick-or-treating.
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Italy: Ognissanti (Nov 1) and Commemorazione dei Defunti (Nov 2). Regional sweets like ossa dei morti appear; in Sicily, gifts “from the departed” are sometimes left for children.
Central & Eastern Europe
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Poland (Zaduszki), Czechia/Slovakia (Dušičky), Hungary, Lithuania (Vėlinės): Evenings in early November see cemeteries glowing with candles and chrysanthemums—quiet, beautiful acts of remembrance.
The Caribbean
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Haiti: Fèt Gede (Nov 1–2): A vivid mix of music, dance, and offerings associated with the Gede spirits—part memorial, part celebration of life.
North America
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United States & Canada: Modern Halloween blends costumes, pumpkins, haunted houses, and community events—much of it influenced by Irish and Scottish immigrants who brought Samhain-era customs across the Atlantic.
Asia (autumn notes)
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Japan: Halloween isn’t traditional, but city parades, themed events, and cosplay have taken root in late October; ancestor-focused Obon happens in summer.
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China/Hong Kong & Southeast Asia: “Ghost Festival” falls earlier in the year, yet late-October parties and décor are increasingly popular in urban centres.
Borrowed ideas for your own cozy celebration
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Light the night: Place safe, battery-powered candles by a photo of someone you love.
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Try a turnip lantern: A fun historical twist on pumpkin carving.
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Make a mini ofrenda: Paper marigolds, a favourite treat, and a handwritten memory.
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Chestnut evening: Roast chestnuts or bake simple almond sweets for a La-Castanyada feel.
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Sky & story time: Craft paper kites with messages of gratitude, or read a seasonal tale together.
For a Shelf Indulgent Bonus: give a “spooky-but-kind” feel to your shelf with a soft night light, a window suncatcher, and your favourite spooky book. So if you’re in the mood for gentle spooks and bookish décor, browse our small (but growing) Halloween picks - friendly ghosts only!
