do all European countries celebrate Halloween or is it mostly the Brits and Americans?

Answer 1

we don't really celebrate it as much in Britain as they do in the U.S., it's far bigger there than it is here.


as for the r-o-t-w I'd guess not.


RE: answer below, if you're going to call people ignorant at least spell it right.

Answer 2

I know that there are a lot of celebrations in Europe, so your question intrigued me, I searched a bit and found this from http://goeurope.about.com/cs/festivals/f/halloween.htm
"Why yes, they do. In fact, the whole Halloween thing seems to have be the results of combining the ancient Roman Feralia, commemorating the passing of the dead, with the Celtic Samhain. It seems to have passed from Europe to the US with Irish immigrants.
Halloween didn't take its present form until All Saints Day was declared by Pope Gregory IV to replace the pagan festival. The night before became All Hallows Eve and people went door to door begging for food (or soul cakes) to feed the poor. Of course, things were tweaked a bit during the time between then and now, so for more, see the excellent Trick or Treat! The History of Halloween in our links.

Although Halloween isn't celebrated as lavishly as it is in the US, Halloween is making an upsurge in Italy, and is celebrated there and in the UK, Ireland, and France. See our links for more, but be aware that finding European Halloween celebrations on the web is about as hard as finding an honest politician."

So there you go!
Just as a note When I was younger (I'm now in my mid 40's) We would celebrate Guy Fawkes night on November 5th but Halloween was unheard of.
The Americanised version has been re-imported into the UK.

Heres a couple more links trhat may interest you, and thanks for your question ;-)

http://www.mostparanormal.co.uk/html/halloween.html

http://www.halloweenalliance.com/halloween/europe-spooky-places.htm

Answer 3

Its mainly just Britain, Ireland and America.

And its nowhere near as big in Britain and Ireland as it is in America.

It was an old pagan traditional in Britain and Ireland - deriving from the Celtic "Samhain" which was celebrated by the pre-Christian Celts of Ireland and Britain. People would go "guising" (similar to trick or treat) and carve lanterns out of turnips and swedes, play games, bob for apples and the like.

It was imported into America by Irish, Welsh Scottish and English settlers who substituted Pumpkins for Turnips and made it into a much bigger celebration.

Now its sort of been re-sold accross the Atlantic. In Britain the Halloween celebration is very Americanised - all pumpkins and trick or treat, hardly anyone does "guising" or carves turnip lanterns anymore!

They don't celebrate it in European countries like France, Italy, Germany etc traditionally. I beleive they celebrate All Souls day the next day when they go to the graves of their dead relatives and attend church instead.

Answer 4

Halloween or to give it its correct title, The Eve of All Hallows (or in modern English) The Eve of All Saints, is only widely celebrated in the Northern fringes of the United Kingdom i.e. north of the border and parts of Ireland.
A common thought in the middle ages was that as the Feast Day of All Saints was a very High and Holy Day, the evening before would be of great rejoicing in Heaven. Whilst the damned of Hell could never be allowed to enter Heaven, it was thought that they were given leave to roam the earth once more just for one night, hence the tradition of ghosts and demons in visitation.

Answer 5

brits, irish and americans. It is starting to be celebrated a little in some parts of france I think, but europe really celebrates All Saints day on november 1st.

Answer 6

Halloween is yet another American import that has been eagerly jumped on by the retail industry to flog us yet more tat.
The first time I came across Halloween was in 1976, when my seven months pregnant wife anwered the door to a mid-teenager wearing a ghoul mask who asked of her "Trick or treat?". Rather unsurprisingly at the time, she screamed, and I chased him down the street with a hammer. I'm only grateful that he could run pretty fast, I dread to think what would have happened had I caught him, I was 24 at the time. Only since have I come to realise what that event was all about.

Answer 7

haha so yule, boxing day or valentines day are all american vacations no longer worldwide or traditionally religous? didnt recognize individuals had the monopoly on those!! we have fun yule day, boxing day, new years day, valentines day, etc yet we dont have fun thanksgiving or independence day which i evaluate the to be the only genuine american vacations as for under the extra youthful celebrating them, thats crap. Brits have been celebrating yule for years and has no longer something to do with wanting to be linked with united statesa.. thats the final undertaking maximum folk choose! the stereo widespread american to brits is over weight, over bearing, does each and every thing to extra and is fairly vulgar and thoroughly boastful and your question has proved that, and thats the final undertaking i choose to be or all and sundry else i be responsive to. I relish this is an over generalisation yet so is asserting that one and all mericans have money!!

Answer 8

It's celebrated in Belgium, but it's rather new (it appeared 5 or 6 years ago). And it's only children who celebrate it. It's mainly a commercial event

Answer 9

Im from Derry, Ireland, and we host the largest halloween festival in Europe! Do I like it? No, kids get really drunk and people puke on my windows. Bars charge too much for admission and the whole town gets trashed! I was in Australia last year, and they dont really celebrate it. It was Great!

Answer 10

I am from Ireland and we celebrate Halloween. I have been in England at Halloween and its a much bigger festival in Ireland