Halloween 2025: how is the holiday of darkness and fire celebrated in different countries of the world?

Every year on the night of October 31 to November 1, the world is immersed in the magical atmosphere of Halloween - a holiday where fear and fun, darkness and light meet. Find out how different countries around the world celebrate Halloween 2025 - a night when the line between worlds is blurred

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Once a year, on the night of October 31, the world seems to freeze between light and shadow, because at this time they celebrate Halloween - a holiday that grew from ancient rituals and turned into a global carnival, where fear and fun walk side by side. From Irish bonfires to American costumes, from Spanish parades to Czech ghost streets - each country celebrates in its own way. And although today Halloween sparkles with garlands and pumpkins, the ancient fire of Samhain still burns in its heart.

In this article, we will tell you about the history of the holiday and how Halloween is celebrated in different countries of the world.

The history of Halloween: when the border between the worlds disappears

Halloween has its roots in the ancient Celtic holiday of Samhain - a time when people gathered and prepared for winter. The Celts believed that on the night of October 31 to November 1, the veil between the worlds becomes thinner, and the souls of the dead can return to the world of the living. To protect themselves, people lit bonfires, wore masks, and offered treats to the spirits.

Later, the Church tried to replace the ancient ritual with All Saints' Day (November 1) and All Souls' Day (November 2). But Samhain did not disappear - it only changed into a new form.

In general, the name Halloween comes from All Hallows' Eve - “the evening before All Saints' Day”.

How did the turnip become a pumpkin, and the rituals - pop culture?

Everyone knows that the annual symbol of Halloween is a pumpkin, but in fact the first “Jack lanterns” were not carved from pumpkins, but from turnips or potatoes. According to legend, their light helped lost souls find their way.

When the Irish emigrated to the USA in the 19th century, they found a more convenient substitute - pumpkin. Large, bright, easy to carve, that's how it became a symbol of the new, cheerful Halloween. In the 1960s, America even bred a special variety of Howden Pumpkin, created just for decorative lanterns.

Thus, the ancient holiday of spirits gradually became a holiday of sweets, costumes and millions of lights around the world.

How is Halloween celebrated in different countries of the world?

The USA is the capital of sweets and fear

In the USA, Halloween is not just a holiday, but a whole industry of joy. Children go out into the yards with the phrase "Trick or treat", the streets shine with lanterns and decorations, costume parades and theme parties are held.

Here it is a day of playing with fear - safe, bright and sweet. Halloween is a time when you are allowed to be anyone.

Ireland – the cradle of Samhain

The homeland of the holiday honors its roots. In modern Ireland, Halloween combines ancient rituals with theatricality: bonfires are lit, costume parades are held (the most famous is in Derry), and families bake barmbrack – bread with “predictions”.

The holiday lasts the entire Halloween Bank Holiday Weekend – an official weekend at the end of October.

Dublin hosts the Bram Stoker Festival, dedicated to the author of “Dracula”. Here, Halloween is not about horror, but about meeting the shadows of history.

Germany – between holiday and silence

In the Protestant regions of Germany, October 31st is celebrated as Reformation Day, so this day is an official day off.

But in the evening, the country comes to life: children go for sweets, “Süßes oder Saures!” is heard, clubs organize parties, and houses are decorated with pumpkins.

In Catholic lands, on the contrary, this time is the eve of All Saints' Day (Allerheiligen), a day of silence and remembrance. In some communities, there is even a law called Stiller Feiertag – a time when loud entertainment is prohibited, but silence here also has its power.

Want to feel the true spirit of Halloween without going abroad? Ukraine also has something to surprise you with – from Lviv dungeons to haunted castles and ancient legends. Read in this article about the most mystical Halloween tours that will give you unforgettable emotions and a feeling of real magic.

Czech Republic – a country of silent ghosts

Halloween in the Czech Republic is not an official holiday, but Prague looks especially mystical this evening. The Old Town is filled with night quests, excursions to places of legends and ghosts, pumpkin festivals for children.

And on November 2, Dušičky comes – the day of the souls of the dead, when families visit cemeteries, light candles, and put up chrysanthemums. During these days, the Czech Republic shines with thousands of small lights, as if guarding the border between the worlds.

Spain – a carnival of life and death

On October 31, Spain hosts La Noche de Brujas, the night of witches. The Spaniards turn cities into stages: the streets of Madrid, Barcelona, ​​and Valencia are filled with parades, shows, costumes, and laughter.

The next day, November 1, the country celebrates Día de Todos los Santos – a day of memories and family gatherings. People bring white flowers to the graves, light candles, prepare panellets, roasted chestnuts and sweet potatoes – the flavours of childhood and autumn, and on November 2nd, many cities experience the Mexican spirit of Día de los Muertos – with bright skulls, dancing and altars of remembrance.

Poland – between parties and remembrance

In Poland, Halloween has a double life. For young people, it means parties, costumes, sweets and photo zones in shopping malls. For the older generation, it is time to prepare for All Saints’ Day (Dzień Wszystkich Świętych), one of the most important holidays of the year.

On November 1st, Poles go to cemeteries, decorate graves with lanterns, chrysanthemums and clean up the area. In the evening, the cities are illuminated by thousands of lanterns.

Therefore, the attitude towards Halloween here is ambiguous - for some it is entertainment, and for others it is an unnecessary “Americanization” of spiritual traditions.

Great Britain

The homeland of many mystical legends and ghosts, Britain knows how to celebrate Halloween. Houses here are decorated with cobwebs, candles and pumpkins, and lanterns flicker in the windows to drive away evil spirits. In Scotland, children follow the ancient tradition of “gaising” - they dress up in costumes, recite poems or sing songs to earn sweets. This is a kind of return to the origins of the holiday, when costumes helped to hide from otherworldly creatures.

France

For the French, Halloween is a relatively new tradition, but they have turned it into a real artistic performance. Paris becomes a city of shadows for one night: clubs, bars and even ancient castles light candles and organize themed parties. A particularly popular option among tourists is to spend the night in a vampire castle in the Loire Valley – an experience that combines Gothic, legend and French charm.

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Italy

Italy, known for its ancient history and refined culture, reveals its eerie side on Halloween. In Rome, dozens of thematic excursions are held – from ancient catacombs to crypts and abandoned palaces. Of particular interest is the Capuchin Crypt, where the walls are decorated with human bones – a gloomy but impressive symbol of eternity. More than two dozen cemeteries are open to visitors, and each of them has its own story. For travelers who want to combine history, culture and a mystical atmosphere, Italy becomes one of the most attractive destinations for celebrating Halloween.

Romania

Transylvania – the heart of the legends of Dracula and one of the most famous Halloween locations in the world. Here, among misty mountains and ancient forests, lies Bran Castle, a 14th-century fortress that inspired the image of the vampire count. On Halloween night, it hosts a grand party with dancing, costume contests and night tours of the castle's corridors. The atmosphere is truly hypnotic: it seems as if old legends come to life right before your eyes.

Denmark

Copenhagen turns into a fairy-tale, slightly spooky city in October. The main stage of the celebrations is the legendary Tivoli Gardens, shining with thousands of lanterns and pumpkins. Parades, themed performances and the famous “Monsters Night Out” are held here, where horror heroes, wizards and clowns meet. The “haunted house” and pumpkin carving competitions attract both children and adults. Although Halloween does not have deep roots in Denmark, Tivoli Gardens turns it into a magical autumn adventure filled with magic and warmth.

Ukraine

In Ukraine, Halloween is an autumn holiday for all generations with quests, parties and carnival parades. In Kyiv, Lviv, Odessa and Kharkiv, thematic tours of “ghost towns”, walks through old quarters and evening excursions with lanterns are held.

Western Ukrainian castles, such as Olesky or Pidhorytsky, attract fans of mysticism, because legends about ghosts and ancient family secrets surround them, and in the Carpathians, where fog covers the slopes, the holiday takes on a special poetic quality: here you can meet the dawn by the fire, listening to ancient Hutsul legends about souls returning home.

Do you want to feel the spirit of Halloween not only in photos? Discover authentic tours of Ukraine for yourself - from the mysterious castles of Lviv region to evening walks in Kyiv, where history and legends come to life just under the lanterns.

Halloween routes 2025 are already available for booking on the Visit Ukraine portal. Choose a destination and set off on a journey through Ukrainian cities to open a new page of autumn!

Halloween is a night when humanity learns to look into the darkness without fear. When you can remember those who are not around, and at the same time laugh at your own horrors. This is a holiday that unites children and adults, ancient legends and modern carnivals, a holiday that reminds: even in the darkest night, the light should be on.

Let us remind you! Visit Ukraine has prepared a terribly profitable Halloween for everyone. We have already told you how to get discounts of up to -25% on tours, insurance, Green Card, OSCPV and merch.

Photo – Freepik

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