In remembering martyrs or loved ones, it looked much more similar to Day of the Dead.). The Day of the Dead, the Hungry Ghost Festival, and Halloween. Many colors are used during Day of the Dead, and there is an atmosphere of celebration and respect for both life and death. Though the images of skulls and skeletons might make it appear as though it’s a serious or sad time, it’s actually meant to be a vibrant celebration of life shared with loved ones who are no longer living. It’s understandable that people relate these two holidays. Halloween is often symbolized by Jack o’ Lanterns, bats, ghosts, vampires, witches, and the like while day of the dead is usually associated with skulls and the Lady of the Dead. Another difference lies in the origins of the traditions. A lot of people confuse these traditions, thinking they're basically the same holiday by two different names, and that couldn't be further from the truth. Just as many families or religions do not celebrate Halloween in the United States, there are families in Mexico and other countries who opt out of Día de Muertos or celebrate in a different way. They also dressed up in masks to make them look scary or even dead so that any spirits who encountered them would think the person was already a spirit as well and leave him or her alone. The ancient Aztecs honored the “Queen of the Underworld” whose role was to oversee the festivals of the dead as well as to care for their bones. They also believed that the spirits could come back to visit on the 31st but instead of being excited about it, they were scared. – USA Today. Nowadays, Halloween is more about trick-o-treating and dressing up as evil characters from horror movies, with the onus on the dead representing a malignant force. It’s usually a night to watch horror movie marathons for the same purpose. The skeleton decorations are often depicted as bright and dancing. In 731 to 741, an oratory was founded on October 31 for the vestiges of martyrs, confessors, apostles, and saints. Hey! The candles and orange flowers are meant to lay a path back home. We’ll show you the most important differences between Day of the Dead and Halloween: The Day of the Dead tradition indicates that souls arrive every 12 hours between October 28 and November 2 to visit their relatives, while Halloween is celebrated the night of October 31, when spirits can walk amongst the living. The Day of the Dead takes place on the Christian festival of All Souls Day, which marks the end of a three-day festival that begins on Halloween, the evening before All Saints Day (All Hallows). Halloween is mainly celebrated in Ireland, the United States, Canada, and a few other countries, though it is growing in popularity globally. For over 3,000 years, the Mexican people have commemorated their deceased loved onesby “welcoming” their visit every year in a celebration full of tradition. She has been teaching social science courses both in the undergrad and graduate levels. Download this free activity guide to experience Day of the Dead with your family or watch below. According to Business Insider, the holiday was originally linked to the Celtic pagan celebration of Samhain, which was believed to be a point in time when the veil between worlds was at its thinnest, giving spirits an easier time traveling into the Earthly realm. This was known as a very important festival on October 31 to November 1 which was observed in Scotland, Ireland, and the Isle of Man. Nowadays, Halloween is more about trick-o-treating and dressing up as evil characters from horror movies, with the onus on the dead representing a malignant force. It was believed that after dying, a person’s soul must travel to the Land of the Dead. Day of the Dead celebrates the life of those who have passed away while modern-day Halloween focuses more on the dark side of death. Learn how your comment data is processed. Halloween took another turn when it Guy Fawkes day came along, celebrated by Protestant on November 5. In the end, we will all end up dead. See for yourself! We gear up for parties to commemorate the two spookiest holidays of the year: Halloween and the Day of the Dead. The altars that are erected in honor of deceased family members will commemorate the dead relatives offering flowers, the deceased’s favorite food and beverages, photographs and candles. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Unlike Halloween, Day of the Dead is more associated with spirituality, remembering departed loved ones, and honoring ancestors. Halloween, also known as "All Hallows Eve," has very little spiritual tradition remaining in its mainstream iteration. The Day of the Dead (aka Día de los Muertos) is often confused with or encompassed in Halloween, however, it's a completely different and unique holiday. Jack o’ Lanterns, witches, ghosts, vampires, and other similar creatures, Nowadays, departed loved ones are not that emphasized, Aztec festival for the goddess Mictecacihuatl (Lady of the Dead). Please note: comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. Jean Brown is a Registered Psychologist, licensed professional teacher, and a freelance academic and creative writer. Sign up with your email address to be the first to know about new products, VIP offers, blog features & more. Comment document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a50240b7bf3b3e6e291b3c735b976455" );document.getElementById("b172de8dc2").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); What Are the Differences Between Halloween and Day of the Dead? • Categorized under Culture,History,Religion | Difference between Halloween and The Day of the Dead. Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, is celebrated as part of a spiritual tradition in Mexico. Over the centuries, All Hallows Eve was claimed by the Catholic Church, the evening before its observance of All Saints' Day. For Mexico, the Xoloitzcuintle (Mexican hairless dog) is a living heritage, being the country’s native dog breed and having a pretty close relationship with pre-Hispanic culture. The roots of Halloween are believed to go back about 2,000 years, to the Celtics in Europe. Horror films become a nightly ritual. Following the Spanish conquest, the festival was reduced to the 3 days of All Hallows, while the reference to the Aztec queen still remains in the Calavera Catrina, which is a skeleton dressed in fine clothing. To protect themselves, they carved frightening faces in gourds and put candles inside to ward off spirits. They’re not quite the same, though: Halloween is celebrated on one day, October 31. Although hanging out with spirits may sound a little creepy, it is a way to symbolically spend more time with loved ones who have passed and a reminder that their memories will always be with us. Unlike the Day of the Dead. Although dwindling in number, there are still many Americans who have never heard of Día de los Muertos (or Day of the Dead). Notably, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) officially included this tradition in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008. In Mexico during Day of the Dead, “calaveritas” are commonly written and performed. They also make small altars with the dead person’s photograph and they offer food, favorite things, prayers, and incense. You can see both influences in modern Día de Muertos traditions, in traditions like decorating tombs, praying in cemeteries, making altars and leaving food out for the visiting souls. Copyrights © 2020 Sandos Hotels & Resorts. Halloween is observed on October 31st while Day of the Dead starts on November 1. Originally Day of the Dead was mostly celebrated in small towns in Mexico. On the night of the 1st, the adult spirits come and spend the day of the 2nd with their family. This was the beginning of Trick or Treat. DifferenceBetween.net.

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