Halloween

Hi Johny!

Well here in Mexico it´s a big celebration, because exist the idea that the souls of the persons that are dead return to visit to us 1^st and 2^nd of November. In my family one day before November we put the “Ofrenda” that consist that you have to put the photos of your relatives that are dead and  the things that they liked, like food, candies, beverage, cigarettes, alcohol, etc. But you have to put also water and salt for the souls of the purgatory, and maybe milk and toys for the kids.

The 1^st of November came the saints and the kids.

The 2^nd of November came the adults.

The difference about Halloween and Day of the Death are:

ü  How we receive the spirits (in E.U.A. the put the Jack O´Lantern to avoid that the souls enter to their house and they use costumes to don´t be recognized. In Mexico is the opposite.)

ü  The duration of the celebration (in E.U.A. is only one day and in México two days.)

ü  The skulls (in E.U.A. have a macabre connotation and in México have a happy connotation, like the sense of leaving.)

ü  Day of the Death is considering cultural heritage and Halloween is just an advertising celebration.

Halloween

When and where was originally celebrated?

31^st of October to celebrate the new year celtic, in Europe. (Samhain)

How has it changed through the years?

The Christians celebrate the day of the day on May 13 (Lemuria), the church change in 609 Lemuria in “All Saint´s Day”, and then they change to November 1 “All Hallows Day” after the “Samhain” day (Celtic celebration) the people star to call “All Hallows Evening” then “ The evening before all hallows evening”  and the in “Halloween “. The church also said that on November the second celebrate the “Soul´s Day” .

And where does the trick r treat tradition comes from?

In the middle ages, in Soul´s Day, the kids begging for soul cakes to honor the souls in the purgatory.