8. what is the difference between halloween and the day of the dead

Thank you for your time. Name required. Email required. Please note: comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. Written by : gene Brown. Celebrating Day of the Dead. A Short History of Halloween.

Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, User assumes all risk of use, damage, or injury. You agree that we have no liability for any damages. What is Halloween? Peter In to , an oratory was founded on October 31 for the vestiges of martyrs, confessors, apostles, and saints. What is Day of the Dead? Main Culture The main culture associated with Halloween is European which later spread to America due to the influx of Irish immigrants during the Great Famine in to Remembering the Dead Though both holidays reminisce the departed, Day of the Dead is keener at remembering their departed relatives and friends, specially their ancestors.

Spirituality Day of the Dead is more associated with spirituality as prayers with incense are ritually offered. Halloween is observed on October 31st and it has Gaelic and Celtic roots while Day of the Dead starts on November 1 and it has an Aztec origin. Unlike Halloween, Day of the Dead is more associated with spirituality, remembering departed loved ones, and honoring ancestors.

Author Recent Posts. The time of year when these festivals occur is the most obvious similarity. Halloween is, of course, held on the October 31st and the Day of the Dead, depending upon where you are in Mexico, will be either a one or two day festival starting on November 1st or 2nd. Other than the chronological overlap, both holidays focus on the idea that there is a certain time of year when the spirits of the dead may walk the earth again taking pagan practices and integrating them with Christian holy days.

Firstly there is a major difference in the way the dead are regarded during each of these festivals. Halloween focuses upon the grisly or frightening aspects of death and the dead while the Day of the Dead is very much a celebration of their lives, a happy occasion to honor and remember loved ones who have passed on.

The European tradition of Halloween notes that All-Hallows eve is a dangerous night when malicious spirits walk the earth. In the Aztec culture the celebration of the dead was in August and went on for a month. Rather than displaying grim or gory decorations, Day of the Dead celebrations involve paying respects to loved ones. Families tend graves and leave offerings, plant flowers and trees, wear the clothes of their deceased relatives, and build altars in their homes to honor their loved ones.

Perhaps the most popular part of the holiday is people turning themselves into skeletons using elaborate makeup and masks. The skeletal appearance highlighted with flowers, bright colors and artwork is a striking image that has now become an icon of the Day of the Dead.

These looks are based partly on the decorated sugar skulls that are left on altars as offerings to the spirits. I must say that I much prefer Day of the Dead celebrations to Halloween in my older age. But I have a daughter who delights in dressing up, attending the town parade and indulging in candy.

I do enjoy those innocent pleasures. So I will happily take my 8-year-old daughter through our neighborhood to ask for candy on Halloween.