Most, if not all cultures, have a way to remember and celebrate the dead; and while many in America celebrate Halloween, most people don’t know about the rest of the world and the ways they found ways to celebrate the dead. It is because of this that I have researched some religions that some people know by name but might not know about some of their ways to celebrate the dead, and while these are just a few of the holidays I found, they are very important in their cultures.

Dia De Los Muertos, The Day of the Dead

A very well known holiday that has begun to come up in pop culture today is Dia De Los Muertos, more commonly known as the Day of the Dead. Celebrated mostly in Mexico, this holiday was created to honor our deceased ancestors, and allow these ancestors to return to the family on November 1. During this holiday, people make altars for their deceased ancestors using flowers, candy, or the deceased’s favorite food in hopes to draw the spirit closer to home. It is also popular to use sugar skulls on the altar. A second common thing is for a wash basin to be left beside the altar so that the spirit can wash before eating there feast. On this day, the grave of the loved one is usually cleaned and repainted. On November 2, the families of the dead will return to the graves of the of their loved ones to picnic and remember the deceased. At some of these gatherings, mariachi bands will play and people will perform dances. This holiday has also been featured in movies such as The Book of Life and the upcoming movie Coco. Dia De Los Muertos is a very respectful holiday and coming into popularity with the world.

Obon Festival of Lanterns

The second holiday I found was the Obon festival or the Festival of Lanterns.  This holiday is celebrated throughout Japan by many Buddhists and usually occurs in August (13-15). Similar to Dia De Los Muertos, altars are prepared for loved ones, family, and friends. They may be decorated with food, candles, or colorful lanterns. These lanterns will also hang all around the city/town. The city/town may also prepare spaces for people to celebrate by dancing and eating from food booths. Some families will even light fires to guide the soul to the family and its altar. At the end of the Obon festival, the paper lanterns are taken down and set in rivers or seas with candles inside of them, in hopes of leading the loved one back to the realm of the dead. The Obon festival is a time of celebration of the dead for the citizens of Japan and it is also a time to remember their lost loved ones.

Alla Helgons Dag, All Saints Day 

A more simple holiday I found is Alla Helgons Dag or All Saints’ Day. This holiday takes place in Sweden and while most celebrations of the dead have candles that are lit, Alla Helgons Dag is known for its ornate candles placed on and around graves.

Pchum Ben Day

Pchum Ben day is a fifteen day long celebration in Cambodia in the month of September. this holiday takes place in a church like building called a pagoda. Inside the pagoda people will play, light candles, and leave offerings for there ancestors. Going to a pagoda shows respect for the ancestor. A main belief of this holiday is that if a family does not leave offerings for there ancestors the ancestors spirit will curse the family. Another popular belief is that when someone dies, they become evil and are unrelentingly tortured, with Pchum Ben Day as their only day of relief. It is because the family want relief for their ancestors that this is one of Cambodia’s most important holidays.

Halloween, Germany 

Another simple holiday is Halloween in Germany. The American Halloween has begun spreading to different places around the world and in Germany “trick-or-treating” has started to become popular. it is also a common thing for knives in a household to be hidden so spirits can not take them.

La Fête D’Halloween

A holiday that intrigued me was la fête d’Halloween. This holiday is celebrated in France during the month of September and has some things in common with the American Halloween. In France people will dress up in traditionally “scary” costumes such as mummies or vampires and go to parties. Trick-or-treating is not very common during this holiday but when it does occur people will go from store to store instead of house to house. This holiday has begun to adapt to some of the traditions that many Americans are using today in Halloween.

People of all cultures and religions have found ways to honor and remember there loved ones after they die. While some of these celebrations are simple like la fête d’Halloween or Alla Helgons Dag some are more complicated like Pchum Ben Day and Dia De Los Muertos. These holidays all have something in common, they all celebrate the dead and allow family and friends of the deceased person to have a way to remember them.