Carving pumpkins, handing out candy to the local trick-or-treaters, and decorating the yard with the latest spooky inflatables. For most of us, Halloween’s arrival brings these and other cherished traditions back into our lives every year. But did you know that many of our current Halloween traditions originated from a 9^th-century Celtic festival celebrated on October 31st, when it was believed that the boundary between the living and the dead became blurred?

All around the world, cultures celebrate this merging of the spiritual and the living worlds. Learn more about some of these holidays below.

Women in skull makeup walk in a Día de los Muertos parade in Mexico.

Día de los Muertos – Mexico

Alongside Halloween, Día de los Muertos (“Day of the Dead”) occupies a central spot in the global cultural calendar at this time of year. Though it originated in Mexico, the holiday is celebrated around (and beyond) the Spanish-speaking world. On this day, families build ofrendas (a type of altar) in their homes to honor deceased relatives. Observers decorate these altars with photos, favorite foods, and treasured belongings of lost loved ones — offerings which are believed to encourage the spirits of the deceased to visit from the land of the dead. During public celebrations, attendees wear skull masks or makeup as an invitation to spirits from the afterlife to join the festivities.

Floating lanterns released during the Hungry Ghost Festival are meant to guide lost spirits. Image Source

Hungry Ghost Festival – East Asia

Around the start of fall, Buddhist and Taoists recognize the opening of the gates of heaven and hell during the Hungry Ghost Festival. Each country has their own traditions surrounding this holiday; in China, people offer food and drink to the ghosts of their ancestors who return to the realm of the living. Often, families prepare feasts and set the table with empty seats for each deceased family member. Some celebrations also include releasing paper boats or lanterns onto water to guide lost spirits back to the underworld.

Costumed women perform in a Halloween (Samhain) parade in Dublin, Ireland. Image Source

Samhain – Ireland and Scotland

Samhain, which dates to the 9^th century, is thought to be the origin of contemporary Halloween. Ancient Celts believed that, on Samhain, the boundary between the living and the dead became blurred and spirits from the “Otherworld” came to earth. Dressed in costumes to avoid recognition, Celts would offer gifts of food and sweets and perform dances, divination, and rituals to appease wandering ghosts. This Gaelic festival is still celebrated throughout Ireland and Scotland on Oct 31, when costumed celebrators throw elaborate parties and parades.

Gai Jatra procession in Kathmandu Valley. Image Source

Gai Jatra – Nepal

This festival, also known as the “cow festival,” is primarily celebrated in the Kathmandu Valley and consists of honoring lost loved ones with carnivals, dances, rallies, and parades. Cows play an important role in the holiday because, in Hindu belief, cows guide the souls of the deceased into the afterlife. One significant tradition involves a procession of children dressed in cow-like masks and long clothes, which drag the ground to help guide lost souls from earth to heaven.

Some Ognissanti traditions include lighting candles at gravesites. Image Source

Ognissanti (All Saint’s Day) – Italy

Ognissanti, the “Italian Halloween,” dates to the 4^th century CE. In general, it is seen as a time when the world of the living reunites with the world of the dead. Different regions of Italy have their own Ognissanti traditions: some people believe the dead bring sweets and gifts to well-behaved children. Others wait for visits from deceased loved ones and repeat funeral cries at their graves. In some areas, children knock on doors to ask for offerings to give to the dead.

So this October 31, as you ply crowds of ghosts, witches, and zombies with brightly colored candy, just remember — they may not be the only spooky entities on the prowl that evening. Happy Halloween!