Today’s Blogtober challenge was to look at Autumn traditions around the world. I Know our main traditions is Halloween and that it’s generally a spooky evening where kid’s dress up and go from door to door to collect sweet gifts. It’s mainly a borrowed tradition though, because when I was little it was only something done in America. We did like to watch horror films and maybe have a spooky party with decorations. And Pumpkin lanterns have always been in my memory. Although if I’m honest, I don’t remember seeing a pumpkin as a child, my Mum used to carve her lanterns out of swedes! Some people call them turnips but again, it’s depends on where you are from.
We have had much fun with pumpkins in the past, especially when the kids were young enough to enjoy the Pumpkin Parlour at the local farm.
Day of the Dead
One of my favourite animated films is ‘Coco’ and it’s set in Mexico where they celebrate Dia de los Muertos, Day of the Dead. It’s simply a day where you remember the dead and celebrate the importance of life. In Coco, in the land of the dead they cannot cross the bridge to their final destination until someone alive remembers them. It’s a great movie and good to watch with the kids as it’s not too scary even though it has skeletons and spooks.
Halloween has mostly been commercialised but it also originates in remembering the dead and paying respects. Now it’s more of a big horror based party. I have to admit though, I do love giving out sweets to the ‘Trick or Treaters’ calling at my door. I have a big black plastic cauldron full of sweets and often add in a couple of plastic creepy crawlies. One year my daughter dressed up and her costumes was so scary she made a few children cry. (she’s not worn it again) It was funny when we’d forgotten we’d ordered a pizza and she scared the living daylights out of the pizza delivery guy. We had it recorded on our door camera, it was hilarious. We are lucky we still get pizzas delivered.
Oktoberfest – Germany
Now the German’s have the right idea, from the end of September to first week in October. It was originally to celebrate the wedding of King Louis I to his bride Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen.
Oktoberfest is celbrated in Munich but has spread to other parts of the world. Typical Oktoberfest activities include beer drinking, parades, live music, and sing-along games. You’ll also find plenty of sporting competitions, delicious German food like sausages and pretzels, and traditional Bavarian attire worn by many people
I chose to celebrate my first wedding by visiting a place in my home town called the Beer Keller, which was a traditional German beer drinking establishment and loads of fun. Dancing on the tables was encouraged! I’ll say no more (it was a very long time ago.)
The Mass Kara – Philippines
The Mass Kara is one of the biggest festivals in the Philippines held in October. It’s held on the Island of Negros and dates back to 1980. Sadly the celebration was started in response to a tragic boating accident that took hundreds of lives. the Mass Kara is the festival of smiles and the revellers where masks with big smiles on them. The idea was that by smiling the city would pull through and survive the tragedy that had happened.
There are street parties and delicious food and jazz music. There is also a star studded beauty pageant which is the highlight of the event.
Diwali – India and other countries
Diwali is the festival of lights and held in October or November. It’s celebrated over five days and the celebrants dress up in their finest clothes, illuminate their homes with candles and lanterns and host large feasts.
They also set of fireworks to worship their Hindu dieties. The reason behind this celebration is the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil.
Do you celebrate in Autumn?
This is an old post but I have always loved Carol and Comfort Springs table scape ideas and here is a lovely one for fall. Now if only I had a place of my own I’d love to decorate a table for a season but it would just end up with the kids junk on it!
I hope you are enjoying my Blogtober 2024 posts, if you would like to join in you can visit the Facebook group here.
Living to Die and Dying to Live
I can remember when Halloween wasn’t a big thing it all. It only started to become a thing when I was about 10 years old. I remember the lanterns being carved out of swedes, the work which must have gone into them, they’re not easy to cut.
Oh dear, but that did make me chuckle about your daughter dressing up and scaring the kids.
I do like the sound of Oktoberfest, it sounds like one big party!
I’m glad I’m not the only that’s old, lol. my daughter’s costume was not even that scary, in fact it’s quite cute, but it is very big and hairy…think of Sully in Monsters inc. and you’ll get the idea. x
I have loved learning about autumn traditions from around the world, with so many that you really can get lost in it all. Halloween was never a thing when I grew up and as much as my daughter loves it I am hit and miss with it all
A fascinating and informative blog post! When in France, I’ve noticed that Halloween is much more popular than it used to be #pocolo
We never did halloween growing up either – I must be old too! Thanks for sharing with #PoCoLo
We didn’t do Halloween as children and my friends in the US say that they just dress up generally, lots of people don’t wear spooky costumes. I guess they don’t want to scare the pizza guys 😉
#MMBC