Halloween is celebrated differently around the world. It is believed to be a crossover between the world of the living and the dead.  

In America, Halloween was formerly known as a Sahmain, which means “summers end.” The Celts or Celtic, a group of Indo-Europeans, treated the day as the beginning of a new year. Halloween honors the day before the Western Christian feast of All Saints and begins the season of Allhallowtide, according to.britannica.com. 

As time has passed, the way that the holiday was celebrated has changed. Today, Americans celebrate Halloween by partying, dressing up in costumes, typically as pop culture figures that are known for their roles in cinema, sports, or have made an impact in society, and watch horror films. 

Children are the main participants in the annual tradition of trick-or-treating. They go from house to house collecting candy in their costumes all throughout the night.  

In Latin American countries, Halloween is known as Día de los Muertos, which means Day of the Dead, and honors loved ones who have died.   

The commemoration takes place from Oct. 31 through Nov. 2. 

Families celebrate the dead by setting up an altar and decorating it with pictures, flowers and candy. Their favorite foods and beverages are also left out with fresh water. Sometimes a wash basin and a towel are left out. It is believed that the spirit can clean themselves before eating. 

Candles and incense are burned to assist the dead in making their way back home. 

Relatives also clean the gravesites by cutting weeds and fixing the paintings and headstones. It is then decorated with flowers and wreaths. 

On the last day of the celebration, family members may drink tequila and have a mariachi band present while having a picnic at the gravesite, according to history.com. 

In Japan, Halloween is called Obon or Bon. Halloween continues to increase in population. It is mainly celebrated in Tokyo and Osaka. 

The people dress up in cosplay and walk around in areas where other people participate, according to jrpass.com. 

Halloween first started in Japan around 20 years ago. It was started in Tokyo Disneyland with the intention of gathering more people for the fall season, according to jrpass.com. 

In general, events related to Halloween take place between September and October.  

There are street parties and costume parties held in different locations to celebrate the event. For example, Shibuya Halloween is an unofficial event in Tokyo where over one million people join that takes place on Oct. 31.  

Although both Japan and America celebrate Halloween, there are some things that are not the same. 

For example, in Japan they do not participate in trick or treating. It is fairly new, so they really put their attention to the costumes that they wear, which allows them to show off their creativity and things that they are involved in.  

Halloween is not an official holiday but allows people to express themselves in costumes. There are different ways that people celebrate the holiday around the world, with different meanings behind the holiday. 

Cam’ron Hardy can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected].