Halloween is originated from Celtic festival called Samhain, which meant the ending of the summer, the harvest and consequently, the cold unwelcoming winter, which was usually associated with death. Celts celebrated it on the 31st of October. They believed it was the day when the borderline between the two worlds was erased and the spirits could visit our world. The festival was based on people dressing up and making bonfires in order to scare away the ghosts and evil spirits.
The time Halloween got very popular was when it came to colonial America. Americans took this tradition from the English and Irish immigrants, whose usual activity was, going from one house to another and asking the owner for food or money.
Later it got commercialized and it expanded throughout the world. However, here in Munich, it is not as popular as in the USA, it is a quite trendy event as well. People, especially the younger ones, love it and it has also become a national tradition. The most common activities are trick-or-treating, throwing a party, cooking Halloween food (which I can assure you, the more disgusting it looks the better it tastes). Munich also has a very fancy event for younger population – you pay a special price to have an opportunity to visit 17 best clubs where Halloween parties will take place.
Although it seems to be very famous around the world, in Spain it isn’t celebrated much. For example in Catalonia, the northern and the most important part of Spain, whether Spanish government admits it or not, they have a whole different event on October 31st – the Castenyada and it has nothing to do with Halloween as we imagine it.
As we can see the Halloween had changed a lot since the Celtic times. Nowadays Halloween isn’t all about the serious work of getting rid of nasty spirits, it is just a fun holiday.
Events in Munich 