Halloween - are we the only culture that celebrates it?

[plowter]

Not sure where to put this. Are western christian cultures the only poeples who celebrate Halloween? I mean the witches and ghosts and skeletons thing rather than time of year.

[JK2]

It isn't Christian - it is pagan - read here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween

[plowter]

Yes, the celebration of the time of year dates back to pagan times. I mean the more modern dressing up as ghosts, witches and devils. The only other culture I can think of is the Mexicans with the Day of the Dead,

Do any other cultures - Middle East, Indian, East Asia - celebrate ghosts and demons in a light-hearted way?

[netibiza]

The Spanish always celebrate Nov 1 as the Day of the Dead, but now the youngsters are having Halloween just for fun.

[JockSporran]

Aye, it's pretty much a western thing.

[andy-hughes]

The origins of Hallow-een is that it is 'All Hllows Eve' - the night before All Saints Day which is a Christian celebration.

In order to mock the celebration, pagans would meet in covens and hold black masses in order to negate the goodness of the Christian festival.

Somehow,in the UK, this has metamorphisised into some sort of nonsensical 'happy' event wherechildren go out and harrass people in their homes.

Trick or treating in America is an old established custom, and most communities join in, giving out sweets to local neighbourhood children. It;s all very good hearted, and it ends around 9.00 p.m.

As is often the case, the UK has latched onto something, distorted it, and made it something unpleasant and money-spinning.

Next - Guy Fawkes - gawd help us .....