Six of the world’s weirdest and most wonderful Halloween traditions

Most people would visualise a large orange pumpkin when thinking about carving a vegetable for Halloween – but in Ireland, a different root vegetable is used.

Ireland and Scotland with their Celtic roots are thought of as the originators of what we know as Halloween today, and historically the Irish used to carve turnips.

The term Jack O’Lantern takes its name from the folktale about Jack, a spirit welcome neither in heaven or hell who was destined to wander the countryside forever, with just a lantern to guide him.

Candles would be placed inside the hollowed-out turnips and placed on doorsteps or in the window on the night of October 31 to try and ward Jack and other evil spirits away.

Nowadays you’re probably more likely to find carved pumpkins in Ireland rather than a creepy turnip, but the tradition still lives on and there’s even examples of carved turnips from the early 1900s preserved in Irish museums.

Scotland – Samhain Fire Festival

Arguably one of the most iconic Halloween festivals in the world, Mexico commemorates its dead and celebrates new life during Día de Muertos, or ‘the Day of the Dead’.

A three-day festival held from October 31 to November 2, the first day honours children who have passed away, the second remembers all of the other departed, while on the third, celebrations are held.

Families build altars to commemorate the dead, decorated with sweets, toys and other items meaningful to the deceased. Many wear colourful skeleton costumes and festivities continue into the night at cemeteries, where relatives gather to celebrate the life of those who have died.

In bigger cities, the streets come alive with parades, song and dance, and people hand out candied sugar skulls as gifts, share traditional ‘pan de muerto’ bread, and write lighthearted mock epitaphs dedicated to the living.

Philippines – Pangangaluwa

Pangangaluwa, which translates to ‘souling’, is a Tagalog folk tradition not too far removed from the trick or treating we see today.

Children and teenagers dressed in white sheets visit houses on the night of October 31 to sing songs related to All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day to solicit for gifts.

They pretend to be lost souls in purgatory, with visited homes expected to give gifts which those souls could take back to the world of the dead.

These gifts usually include food, like sticky rice cakes and products made from sweet potato and purple yam, and they’re said to be a tribute to those souls who are hungry for food and attention.

Japan – Jimi Halloween

Jimi Halloween, which translates to ‘Mundane Halloween’, is a Japanese tradition which turns the expectation of dressing up in elaborate spooky costumes o its head.

The festival sees hundreds of people dress up in costumes so mundane or specific that they need to be explained to others.

One of the most popular costumes this year is ‘one of those really low ceilings in Ueno Station’, highlighting a controversial area of a busy railway station where the ceilings are only about 1.7m (5ft6in) high.

Other fun examples from this year’s event include ‘person who foolishly ordered curry udon despite wearing white clothes’, ‘man who keeps getting mistaken for a store employee’, and ‘guy who just got back from the swimming pool’ complete with red goggle marks around his eyes.

Haiti – Fèt Gede

Haiti celebrates its own ‘Day of the Dead’ festival which pays respects to loved ones who have died.

While its Protestant and Catholic populations mark the day in their own way, followers of the ‘vodou’ religion participate in a much more vibrant way.