Halloween

Everyone knows Halloween. October 31st, when children dress up and go door to door to collect candy. In the UK, instead of saying 'trick or treat', children say 'trick or treats'. But there are also more and more Halloween parties for adults.

But did you know that the tradition of Halloween comes from Britain and not America, as one might think?

Halloween is derived from All Hallow's Eve, the evening before All Saints' Day. Its roots can be traced back to the Celtic festival of Samhain. The festival marked the end of the harvest and the warm season, and the beginning of the cold season. On this day, two worlds collide - the real world and the world of spirits. A celebration for the dead. According to Celtic belief, the spirits came out of their tombs. Food and drink were served, ensuring that there was plenty of food for the deceased as well. At the end, the spirits were brought back to their tombs, accompanied by many lights. Even today, lights play a role in Halloween. However, the tradition of carved pumpkins comes from the USA.

I also went to a Halloween party with my friends. It felt like the first real party since Corona. I would say the costumes here are more like our carnival. At the party, there were scary costumes, but also angels, comic and game characters, and much more.

On the 31st, we went to Notting Hill and took a beautiful autumn walk there.

Notting Hill is known for its beautiful large houses. Here you can find many exceptional decorations, so we also went in search of the most beautiful and creepiest houses.

My roommates told me that the pumpkin here is also a different symbol. Because in Britain, having a pumpkin outside the door means that children can knock on the door and ask for 'trick or treats'.

Some people put a lot of effort into it, and when a door opened, you could see that the people behind it were dressed up in scary costumes. Halloween is a pretty big event in the UK and will probably always be. It's simply part of the traditions.