Do you have Halloween in your countries?

@Pompon (1757)
Poland
October 17, 2007 12:41pm CST
In Poland it is not a custom. I guess it gained it's popularity due to the globalization and marketing but still it is not everyone enjoys. For example I don't make anything special on Halloween. It just any other day for my family. I guess it's because on November 1st we have a religious holiday. In latin it's called "festum omnium sanctorum" - "Festivall of All Saints". We go visit graves of our families, it is a very special time. So I think Halloween can't concure with that;) How does it look in your countries?
4 people like this
17 responses
@ailema4ever (2668)
• Finland
18 Oct 07
In Indonesia it's not a common practice, either. Here in Finland I've seen some trinkets and costumes, but I don't know if many people celebrate it or not. I guess probably just kids he he he... Here in Finland, a day before Christmas, people go to visit the graves of their families and light candles there.
2 people like this
@Pompon (1757)
• Poland
18 Oct 07
I have never visited graveyard in Christmas Eve... But that is a nice custom:)
1 person likes this
• Finland
18 Oct 07
Me, neither, but you're right...it's a nice custom to remember our loved ones who've passed away. ;-D
1 person likes this
• Romania
18 Oct 07
You are right for me the Halloween is a normal day.But one thing that i have seen is that the young generation started to like Halloween.
2 people like this
@Pompon (1757)
• Poland
18 Oct 07
I know. Halloween is very "medial", all this pumpkin heads and costumes are spreading everywhere in malls around it. Plus it's about scaring others, so it seems fun. Only that it has absolutely no cultural explenaition for my country and I wish people cared about this matter too...
1 person likes this
@raijin (10345)
• Philippines
18 Oct 07
We also have that practice here in our country, but it was just this late that people get to hang in this kind of trend (halloween). Back then, we are just to celebrate November 1 and 2 as "All souls' day" and "All Sain'ts day" respectively, we got this custom from Spain who influenced us mostly by the Catholic religion.
@Pompon (1757)
• Poland
18 Oct 07
We have All Souls day too on the 2nd day, I forgot to mentioned that:P Who would have thought Poland and Philippines has this in common;P
2 people like this
@cefaz_21 (2596)
• Philippines
18 Oct 07
I think November o1 here in my country is also the festival of saints where in people visits the grave of thier loved ones..but it is also associated with the holloween,during this day,kids don on different ugly costumes and do tick or treats. Back in the province when we were still young, we go from house to house and sing some holloween songs and then get some rice cakes for it. :)
2 people like this
@Pompon (1757)
• Poland
18 Oct 07
So you have a mixture of the two:) Seems nice:)
1 person likes this
@Bunsdk (242)
• Denmark
18 Oct 07
Its not a custom in my country. But by all gods and means I sure hope that the damn shops would see that instead of trying to force these other countries holidays on us to earn a few bucks more. We never had halloween, we have something else with costumes at a different time of the year instead. We dont have that weird love thing day either... and its soo irritating when ppl are starting to expect others to uphold traditions that arent ours.
2 people like this
@Pompon (1757)
• Poland
18 Oct 07
Yeah... Halloween is good in US and other countries for wich it is an actual custom. But nowadays marketing try to hastle it in every country, that's sad:/ I think Valentine's Day can't be stopped now but at least it's based on people feelings. And I don't know any reason for which we are supposed to do Halloween:/ We have whole Carnival season to have costume parties.
1 person likes this
@shinjiao (1457)
• China
18 Oct 07
China doesn't have Halloween.But in recent years,this Western holiday is popular between young people,especially among university students. Chinese university students celebrate it just for fun.The exotic ambience of Halloween is attractive for the youth.Now in my university, some students are preparing for this Halloween.But for older people,this holiday is strange to them.
@Pompon (1757)
• Poland
18 Oct 07
It may be fun but that it's just thing that was inejcted in their minds by tv and companies and they don't even know what they celebrate or where did it come from:/ Some of my friends do the same because it brings them joy but for us it should be like any other day.
1 person likes this
@ssh123 (31073)
• India
18 Oct 07
We have people from all religions living in this country and halloween is observed among the christian community which are scattered all over the country. I have not heard of this custom being practiced in a big way.
1 person likes this
@Pompon (1757)
• Poland
18 Oct 07
:P It's strange to hear because Halloween has very little to do with Christianity:P It has its roots in Celtic beliefs and customs. I'm a catholic and like I said, it's not very popular in my country because it steps on a real religious holiday for us. Though I'm aware Festival of All Saints is not celebrated in many other countries.
@stvasile (7306)
• Romania
17 Oct 07
No, there is no such thing in Romania. At least not by tradition. But since it became a habit to import all kind of tradition from USA, Halloween is used as a pretext for throwing parties and having fun. Of course that the basis of the tradition is missing. Of course you can't see children "Trick or treat"-ing in the street. Since most Romanian are orthodox Christians we don't even have the "All Saints" celebration. I don't approve of importing traditions without a basis. Why would they be called traditions?
1 person likes this
@Pompon (1757)
• Poland
18 Oct 07
I guess hey are called tradition in every part of the world because they sell and marketing promote them. The same goes for Valentine's Day in here or with Christmas in Japan, where people buy cakes and gifts despite it supposed to be a religious holiday;P
1 person likes this
@stvasile (7306)
• Romania
18 Oct 07
Precisely.
• United States
18 Oct 07
We have Halloween here in the US. I don't really celebrate it or anything. My kids dress up and go trick or treating, but I don't decorate for it. We also have a lot of fall festivals too.
2 people like this
• United States
17 Oct 07
Halloween is pretty popular here. The kids go out and trick or treat for candy and other treats. Some people visit haunted houses and corn mazes and what not. Other's actually see it as a bigger holiday where the celebrate the harvest and those that have departed. It really depends on the person I guess.
1 person likes this
• United States
17 Oct 07
Annaelise - This is what our darling will wear for Halloween Trick or Treat night. Isn't she beautiful?
I no longer decorate for Halloween, except for carved pumpkins with tealights on the porch. I like to sit out and pass candy to the costumed children on Trick or Treat night. It's a fun time. This year I will be going out Trick or Treating with this little beauty!
• United States
17 Oct 07
I forgot to add that I am from the US.
@Pompon (1757)
• Poland
18 Oct 07
Like I said it is more of a spiritual time in here, so I gueass halloween will never be as popular as it is in America. Unless globar marketing beats our religion-_-
@kodie420 (872)
• Canada
17 Oct 07
Oh god yes we have Halloween here in Canada and we make a pretty big deal of it. Kids want the baddest costumes out which makes no sense to me because the costume usually cost 40 dollars at least and only ends up fitting for one year. Also they only wear it once. Then there is the candy any parents worst nightmare because all parents know kids will eat candy till they explode if given the chance!lol I like the idea of what you guys do over there in your country for the "Festival Of All Saints" but here we have nothing like that and Halloween is known for treats. The teenagers here in Canada go out the night before Halloween also known as "Devil's Night" and cause the most destruction they can. Years back I was living in a small town called "Almonte" with a population of no more then 4,000 people and that town use to rank in the top 3 for damage on "Devil's Night" across Canada. I can even remember one year it was so bad that "Almote" even beat Toronto in damage and Toronto is a super city here in Canada where as "Almonte" at that time was pretty much a farming community. Anyways thats Halloween here in Canada and it does not compare to what you guys do in your country but I wish we did celebrate something like that instead of this meaningless holiday we have here. Thanks for sharing!
@Pompon (1757)
• Poland
17 Oct 07
Well, I know about Halloween from movies xD ... I mean normal movies, not the horror Halloween. But I have never known that children can be so desructive._.' On the other side I love sweets so I kind of unerstand them:P
• China
18 Oct 07
In my university life, we first time celebrated the Halloween and the only time I have. In my hometown, we have no festival like this.
1 person likes this
@hopejordan (3561)
• Australia
18 Oct 07
yes where i am from Australia they have it here and i am sick and tired of it is witch craft god hates that it is a sin alot of evil around i won't be opening door for people on that day the real truth is jesus your just letting demons in and i don't want demons in my home thanks but up tp up to you if you want to believe in that god will judge people that do witch craft i am not in darkness but i am in the light with the lord jesus
1 person likes this
@Pompon (1757)
• Poland
18 Oct 07
I think you overreacting a little. But maybe I shouldn't say that since the halloween practically don't exist in my country...
@PaulMel (658)
• Portugal
2 Nov 07
Yes, there are private Halloween parties in Portugal like schools english lessons replaced by party day.
@mepibot (387)
• Brazil
17 Oct 07
No, we donĀ“t have this in Brazil, some people do one or other fest of Halloween but is not common.
1 person likes this
@bugger10 (23)
• Norway
17 Oct 07
The children in Norway are celebrating Halloween and tha malls are trying to convince the rest of the population to as well. We are well aware of the American tradition. Hollywood has provided us with that information. Please enjoy. I will party yoo, but not with pumpkins (they have to be smashing)