Halloween in Transylvania - yes you read that right! The Transylvanian Society of Dracula will hold their annual Halloween party in Sighisoara - the best preserved 15 century-walled town in Europe, the birth-place of Prince Vlad the Impaler, and the site of many witch trials. Everybody is encouraged to wear their spookiest costumes and hopefully the ladies will vie for Miss Transylvania.
Hop-Tu-Naa is a Celtic festival celebrated every 31st of October in the Isle of man. It's a similar event to Halloween as kids dress up as scary being asking for sweet or money, but instead of a pumpkin, they carry turnips!
Teng Chieh in China - Food and water are placed in front of photographs of departed loved ones, and lanterns are lit to light the path of the spirits as they descend upon the earth. Japan has a similar event, only it is called Obon Festival.
No knives Halloween in Germany - during Halloween night, Germans hide or put away their knives so as not to risk harming the returning spirits. Scary tradition!
In Czechoslovakia, families remember the dead by eating special cakes, drinking cold milk (it's supposed to cool the souls roasting in purgatory) and placing chairs by the fireside. Halloween is mostly spent remembering the deceased relatives and ancestors. Most families spend their time in cemeteries.
In the Philippines, Halloween is as commercial as it gets - although in earlier times, kids pretending to be the souls of the dead, sing a song for Halloween from one house to another, hoping to get food, or money, or well - any kind of treat. Pranks are pulled on houses that don't give any.
Sweden sounds like a lot of fun! Alla Helgons Dag (Halloween to them) is celebrated from Oct 31 - Nov 6! How cool is that! Imagine trick or treating, partying, or just having some spooky old fun for 1 week!?
Now if you're in Belguim, it would be wise to avoid a black cat no matter how cute it is! Belgians believe it is unlucky for a blac cat to cross one's path and even more unluckier if it travels with you ona ship or enters your home. No lolcats for now!
There are so many things going on during Halloween -and whether you're a kid or young at heart, I encourage to celebrate! Whatever way you want to spend it, I wish you a ghostly good time this Halloween. Hoping you get all the treats you want, and no tricks!
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By: Christine Waverly
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