Seeing that the annual Halloween is here again, I would like to talk to you about this traditional Western holiday today.
During Halloween, almost every house in the United States will put pumpkins and make pumpkin lamps
Halloween is the 1st of November every year, but we often call Halloween the Eve of October 31 as Halloween, because this day is the most lively time of the holiday, in fact, the real Halloween is called All Saints Day, which is a Mass. But now that Halloween Eve has been turned into a carnival parade and commercial event, we're more familiar with Halloween. This night is the most haunted night, so it is also called "Ghost Festival".
Young people celebrate Halloween
There are many versions of the origin of Halloween, among which several theories are widely circulated: one is that it was born in ancient Western European countries, and the local Celts (Celts) new year is November 1, and they believe that October 31 is the official end of summer, the harsh winter is about to begin, when people believe that the soul of the deceased will return to the former residence on this day, and find the living soul in the living person, so that he can be reborn. The living are afraid of the souls of the dead to take their lives, so people extinguish the candles and fires on this day, so that the souls of the dead cannot find the living, and they dress themselves as demons and ghosts to scare the souls of the dead away.
Legend has it that the ghosts of those who died on the eve of Halloween would come out on this day and search for living beings in the living
There is also a popular theory that Halloween is actually a festival of praise for autumn, originating from the Druids living in ancient Western Europe, their New Year's Day is November 1, the day of New Year's Eve, the Druids let young people gather, wear various strange masks, carry carved carrot lamps (yes, not pumpkin lamps, carrot lamps, pumpkin lights are the custom of the later period, ancient Western Europe did not have pumpkins. Wander between villages. They believe that the souls of the dead will visit the world on this night, and people will light bonfires and lights, first, to scare away the ghosts, and at the same time, because the ghosts illuminate the route and guide them back.
Almost every House in the United States lights up pumpkin lights every Halloween
So, halloween that people live now seems to be a combination of several festivals.
In fact, before coming to Europe, the information received directly is that Halloween is a traditional festival in the West, and it is natural to think that Western countries celebrate Halloween and celebrate Halloween, and when looking up on the Internet, it is also written that in the whole of Europe, people regard halloween eve as a good time to have fun. But after coming to Europe, I found that in fact, many European countries are not Halloween, of course, the eve of Halloween is very quiet, they do not hold celebrations or parades, shops and residents do not do Halloween decorations. The country where I am now is a French-speaking country, and the Halloween period here is quiet, there is not much festive atmosphere, although some merchants will also do a little Halloween dress, but it is more like meaning.
Therefore, Halloween is mainly popular in English-speaking countries. In many european countries, people will worship their deceased relatives on Halloween, light candles and place flowers for them, so their practice is a bit similar to our Qingming Festival.
Many people in European countries pray for their deceased loved ones on Halloween
Compared with the quiet of the European continent, the United States on the other side of the Atlantic has turned the eve of Halloween into an American carnival, and I am very impressed by the enthusiasm and boldness of Americans for Halloween.
Halloween decoration on the doorstep of American residents
Americans love holidays and have great enthusiasm for every holiday. Of course, this is also indispensable to the promotion of merchants, Americans are good at commercializing every holiday, so merchants will also take advantage of the opportunity of Halloween to make a lot of money.
Shopping malls and supermarkets in the United States have been on display for all kinds of Halloween goods since September, and supermarkets will also set aside a special area to sell various Halloween outfits, accessories and decorations. Of course, as the children's favorite festival, candy is also indispensable, Americans are originally full of enthusiasm for candy, which is down to the festival of eating candy, the merchants are riveted sales, a variety of candies to see people dazzling, attracting every passing child are salivating. Usually, the candies sold in supermarkets are all small packages, but during Halloween, the candies will be replaced by large packages, even oversized packaging, and bags of candy are piled up like hills in the supermarket.
On the eve of Halloween, merchants will put out a variety of candies to attract people to buy
Merchants and residents' homes are also dressed up early, and Halloween elements are everywhere, pumpkin lights, black spiders, black cats, mice and various demons and ghosts appear.
During Halloween, people decorate their homes with various Halloween elements
U.S. residents do Halloween decorations before their homes
Before Halloween, some institutions and schools will also organize various Halloween activities, such as organizing children to carve pumpkin lights together, making Halloween costumes for children, and distributing candy to children. Schools and kindergartens will also organize children to go to Halloween parades, teachers will tell them the origin and customs of Halloween, and distribute Halloween candy to them.
Kids are celebrating Halloween
If these are all preludes to Halloween for Americans, then the climax of Halloween is the Halloween parade on October 31. This has become the most loved and anticipated holiday, and it is also the day that children are most looking forward to.
On this day, the streets and shops are full of Halloween decorations, families light pumpkin lamps, people dress themselves up as ghosts and demons, and when night comes, children dress up and knock on the door door to door, shouting "trick or treat" (trick or treat) begging for candy.
Children dressed up during Halloween are begging for candy
On this day of the year, parades are held in many parts of the United States, with New York having the largest number of Halloween parades.
On this day, New York City will hold a number of simultaneous parades in many places, the most famous of which is held in Greenwich Village on Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, which has the largest number of participants, the most grand and grand. The parade originated in 1973 with the simple idea of a mask maker, when he and a few children held a small Halloween parade in the community, and the following year, the New York Theater invited him to take the idea to the streets to begin the annual parade, which was later officially designated as "Halloween" in the last week of October. The Halloween parade is paired with a different theme every year. About 30,000 make-up marchers and nearly two million people come to see it every year, and a variety of bizarre costumes can be seen everywhere in the huge parade. Some people bring children, some people carry pets, and many more people dress up with friends and enjoy this magical carnival night.
Halloween parades in New York City generally begin at four or five o'clock in the afternoon. People would gather early at the parade site, and children would carry pumpkin buckets along the street to beg for candy. There are also many people who love to join in the fun, carry a large bag of candy, and give it to the children around them as they walk. So this is probably the happiest holiday of the year for children.
When the parade officially begins, people can follow the parade to show off their strange outfits.
Let's see how crazy Americans are at the Halloween parade!
Children begging for candy at the Halloween parade
Dressed up as a girl who is waiting to join the parade
People who are waiting, ready to participate in the Halloween parade
The "Minions" family dressing up for the Halloween parade
Dressed children at halloween parades beg for candy at the store
People who are taking part in the Halloween parade
Mother and son dressed up as pizza and hot dogs take part in the Halloween parade
People who are participating in the parade
Children dressed as astronauts for the Halloween parade
A family dressed as a dinosaur is taking part in a Halloween parade
People who take part in the Halloween procession
Children dressed up as hot dogs for the Halloween parade
People watching the Halloween parade
I still saw the Halloween parade in New York before the epidemic, and I don't know if the parade will be affected by the epidemic in the past two years. Although I watched the relatively small Halloween parade in New York City, it was already an eye-opener for me. If you're on a trip to New York during Halloween, don't miss the delicious and fun Halloween parade!
What do you know or think about Halloween, welcome to leave a message in the comment area!