Halloween is one of the biggest holidays in the United States and we love to go all out for it. Trick or treating, haunted houses, parties, hay ride, the options are endless. But the United States isn’t the only place to celebrate Halloween.

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Europe, China, Canada and other countries celebrate it as well and Mexico has Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) where Halloween originated from. It’s a 3 day celebration of life and death. People visit cemeteries and bring gifts, flowers and they make an altar for the person where they bring things the deceased loved such as types of foods and trinkets. In homes, families and people set up a pillow and blanket for each of their deceased so their spirits can rest after their journey. People also dress up and wear day of the dead masks and makeup and celebrate with festivals, parades and parties where people dance and drink and celebrate life.

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In Canada, they celebrate basically the same way as the U.S. but there is one difference: trick or treaters visit home and ask not only for candy but spare change. The change went to UNICEF to help support children around the world. Canadians donate an average of $3 million every Halloween.

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In England, you can take a tour of the London Dungeon, they have pub crawls and of course, Guy Fawkes Day (also known as Bonfire Night) which takes place November 5th: if you’re still in a Halloweenish mood, there are bonfires and fireworks around town.

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In France, Disneyland Paris goes all out for Halloween. “Toussaint” is the French version for “All Saints Day” and the town of Limoges is famous for it.

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Transylvania, home of Dracula, is of course one of the best places to be for Halloween. Bran Castle, where Dracula supposedly lived, is a popular Halloween destination. Transylvania has over 118 castles which makes it feel like a fairytale. It has a very untraditional Halloween experience that many enjoy.

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Finally, China has traditional days of the dead that are much more popular such as the Hungry Ghost Festival, the Qing Ming Festival, the Double 9th Festival, and the Spring Festival. Halloween entered China through foreign teachers who would have Halloween parties for their students and teach them about the traditions.

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Each part of the United States celebrates Halloween in their own way. No matter how you choose to celebrate, make sure you are being safe and aware of all the spooky things that may be happening around you!