SeeCalifornia.com

Photos: Sweden & India  Halloween celebrations

Since Halloween celebrations date back over 1,500 years, it’s really difficult for historians to pinpoint the precise origin of what has turned into a month of  Halloween celebrating with haunted attractions, costumes, parties and trick or treating for kids. There’s certainly plenty of disagreement, but one likely explanation credits Celtics with coming up with the basics that transformed over time as adaptations were seen by countless cultures around the world.

Here are some interesting Halloween (All Hallow’s Eve) celebrations from the past and present:

• FRANCE: Christians set out dishes full of milk and prayed beside the graves of their loved ones
• ITALY: Italians prepared and set out a large meal for ghosts dearly departed relatives, then went to church.
• SPAIN: Spanish women made pastries representing bones of the holy and placed them on graves.
• NORTH AMERICA: Puritans were opposed to Halloween until 19th century Irish & Scottish immigrants made it mainstream.
• IRELAND: Turnips, instead of pumpkins were carved on All Hallow’s Eve.
• GERMANY: “Mumming” by masked marauders in fancy attire involved parading through the streets and entering houses to dance or play dice in silence.
• BELIZE: Children have dressed as Christian biblical characters and saints.
• SWEDEN: Lutheran Christians pray on the night of All Hallows’ Eve (Halloween) for Christian martyrs, saints, and all the faithful departed, especially their loved ones, in preparation for All Hallows’ Day (All Saints’ Day), the following day of Hallowmas.
• INDIA: Candles and incense are lit on the graves of  deceased relatives after hanging  garland on their headstones.