In Ireland, we celebrate Halloween – also known as Allhalloween, All Hallows’ Eve and All Saints’ Eve.  Kids (and many adults) dress up in costumes and while kids may go door to door ‘Trick or Treating’ – i.e. gathering up bagfuls of sweets, apples and nuts, lots of adults will be dressing up and heading off to parties.

It’s an annual celebration observed in a number of countries on the 31st of October and initiates the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed believers.

In Ireland, parties at home with kids often include traditional games like bobbing for apples, where you have to catch an apple between your teeth from a basin of water, or take a bite out of an apple hanging from a string in a door frame – it’s harder than it sounds!

In Mexico, they celebrate similarly but in ever greater style for a festival they call the Day of the Dead or in Spanish, ‘Dia De Los Muertos’. There the holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have passed away and celebrations run from October 31st – November 2nd.

How do you celebrate it where you’re from? We’d love to know more about Spanish, Russian, German, French or other traditions where you celebrate the same festival? Comment below and have a wonderfully spooky halloween tomorrow! And if you’re partying in Dublin, word on the street is there’s an amazing Dia De Los Muertos themed party in Mexican Restaurant 777.