👻 How are the festivals of ghosts and the dead celebrated around the world?

Halloween, as we know it from movies—costumes, carved pumpkins, haunted houses, and children going door-to-door saying “trick or treat”—is now inextricably linked to the United States. Its roots, however, are much older, and some of the traditions were brought to America by European immigrants, particularly those from Ireland and Scotland.

Interestingly, candy wasn’t always the star of American Halloween. As recently as the first half of the 20th century, children might receive homemade cookies, cakes, fruit, coins, or small gifts. Packaged candy began to dominate “trick-or-treating” mainly in the 1950s, when candy manufacturers recognized Halloween’s enormous potential.

👻 FUN FACT: In the U.S. at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, Halloween was also associated with various pranks and vandalism. Gradually, however, it began to evolve into a more organized family and community celebration.

Colorful skulls, flowers, candles, and altars may seem a bit like Halloween at first glance, but Día de los Muertos is not the Mexican version of Halloween. It is a celebration to honor the memory of the deceased and the symbolic return of the dead to their loved ones.

The tradition emerged from the fusion of pre-Hispanic beliefs and rituals of the indigenous peoples with the Catholic holidays brought by the Spaniards. Families prepare ofrendas with photographs, candles, flowers, and the deceased’s favorite foods. UNESCO has included this tradition on its list of intangible cultural heritage.

🌼 FUN FACT: The traditional orange cempasúchil flowers aren’t just decorations. Their petals are used to create a symbolic path meant to help the souls find their way back home.

In Japan, we don’t have to wait until October. Obon is a Buddhist-influenced tradition dedicated to ancestors, during which it is believed that the spirits of the deceased return briefly to visit their families.

Obon is associated with visits to graves, lights and lanterns, and the traditional Bon Odori dances. For example, the famous Awa Odori in Tokushima takes place in August, and its tradition dates back approximately 400 years.

🔥 FUN FACT: In Kyoto, Obon ends in truly spectacular fashion. During Gozan Okuribi , huge bonfires are lit on the five mountains surrounding the city. They are meant to symbolically escort the spirits of ancestors back to the afterlife . Some bonfires take the form of giant characters, while others resemble gates or ships.

Chuseok is definitely not Halloween. It is one of the most important Korean holidays, associated with the harvest, family, and respect for ancestors. It is often compared to the Korean Thanksgiving.

Families gather and traditionally perform the charye ritual, during which they offer freshly harvested rice, alcohol, and food to their ancestors. Another part of the tradition is seongmyo—visiting family graves. 

The most famous Chuseok dish is songpyeon , a small, crescent-shaped rice cake filled with ingredients such as sesame seeds, beans, or chestnuts. It is traditionally steamed on a layer of pine needles , which imparts a distinctive aroma.

🌕 FUN FACT: There is an old Korean superstition that whoever can make a beautifully shaped songpyeon will have a beautiful child .

One of the typical fall traditions is roasting chestnuts. Historically, this tradition has been associated with the All Saints’ Day period, and it goes by different names depending on the region—Castañada in Catalonia, Magosto in Galicia, Amagüestu in Asturias, and Chaquetía in Extremadura.

In Catalonia, this season is also associated with panellets —small sweets traditionally made from almonds and sugar, often coated with pine nuts.

😳 FUN FACT: In the town of Cocentaina , a massive Fira de Tots Sants is held around All Saints’ Day, with a history dating back to 1346 . Originally an agricultural and livestock market, the event now attracts over 350,000 visitors.

This part might be the creepiest. The Hungry Ghost Festival is rooted in Buddhist and Taoist traditions and is associated with the idea of ghosts that move among the living. People prepare food and other offerings for them and perform rituals to honor and appease the spirits.

The festival is linked to the legend of Mulian , who, according to tradition, tried to save his mother suffering in the afterlife.

👻 FUN FACT: Offerings are not intended solely for one’s own ancestors. Attention is also given to spirits who have no one to care for them.