Spooky Celebrations Around the World

Spooky Celebrations Around the World

Directions

Dia das Bruxas: Portugal

Dia das Bruxas, or Day of the Witches, is the equivalent of Halloween in Portugal. The holiday shares many of its traditional roots with Halloween. Trick-or-treating is a staple of Dia das Bruxas, but children ask for bread, fruits, or nuts instead of candy. Families also visit the graves of deceased relatives on the Day of the Witches. They adorn the graves with flowers and candles to honour their ancestors.

You do

Dia das Bruxas

On your paper, use the grid to practice symmetry when drawing your witch.

Día de Los Muertos: Mexico

What marks The Day of the Dead as especially unique is the custom of making offerings to loved ones. Families build temporary altars as a tribute to deceased ancestors. The altars are laid with confections like sugar skulls and bottles of tequila, as well as marigolds and photographs of the lost. It is said that these offerings will attract the spirits to the altars to be reunited with the living family.

you do

Samhain

On your paper, fill in the venn diagram comparing and contrasting Samhain and Halloween.

Teng Chieh: China

The Teng Chieh, or Hungry Ghost Festival, in China is not strictly a Halloween custom. Rather, it is an old Daoist tradition that guides the spirits that walk the earth. The spirits might then bestow blessings or punishments upon their living relatives. Later that same night, a feast is typically held where families leave an open setting at the table for a departed ancestor.

La Festa di Ognissanti: Italy

All Saints’ Day celebrates all the Christian saints. Saints are holy people who are believed to be very close to God. People celebrate the saints by lighting candles and going to church. In some places, people bring flowers to cemeteries and clean the graves of their loved ones for All Saints’ Day.

You do

Day of the Dead

On your paper, read the instructions on how to make a papel picado. Then use the template to fold and cut to create your own skull papel picado!

Samhain: Ireland

Halloween originated from Samhain marking the end of summer and start of the harvest season. A long-held custom of “All Hallowtide”‘s pagan festival is the baking and eating of Barmbrack, a dense cake loaded with currants, raisins and candied citrus. It is tradition for bakers at Halloween to mix a ring, small rag and a coin into a Barmbrack. Each token signifies a particular fortune for whoever receives it in their piece of cake. Whoever gets the ring will marry or find happiness, whoever gets the rag will join the clergy or have an uncertain financial future, and whoever receives the coin will have a prosperous year.

you do

Teng Chieh

On your paper, write a list of things people in China do to celebrate the hungry ghost festival. Now, choose one (bat or witch) to fold the oragami!

Directions

Select each location to learn more about a spooky tradition from there. After you complete the activity for one place, a little blue dot will appear! Tap the blue dot to follow along in your handout and compete the activity!

you do

La Festa di Ognissanti

On your paper fill in the blanks about All Saints Day and color in the pictures.