Halloween

Halloweеn/Хелоуин

Halloween in Bulgaria

• The Autumn festival of the horror, scary films/music & creepy masks has conquered Bulgaria too. People in Sofia gather around the city in big groups and then go to some bars, after which they head to some dance club. On this day, bars usually offer discounts and promotions.

Introduction

• Every year, at the night on the last day of October the Catholic world celebrates All Saints & Halloween.

• Even though, the custom is a foreign influence it has become an inevitable part of the Bulgarian calendar too.

• However it is greatly popular over the U.S.A., the UK, Ireland, Canada & Australia etc.

ORIGIN

• Legend has it that the ancient Celts believed the spirits of the dead come and invade the bodies of the living in that very night. Because of this, people put on horrific masks, costumes and make a lot of noise to chase away the unwanted guests.

The celebration is also noted in Latin America & Spain, where 31 October is the day of the diseased children, and 1 October - the day of the old diseased people. According to the belief in this parts of the world, there must be a big

bowl of food, water and a towel. Mexican people in particular go and

gather at their local graveyard and drink tequila, while accompanied by music.

ENGLAND

• In England, Halloween is celebrated on 5 November. The reason behind it was Guy Fowks’s attempt to bombard the parliament.

U.S.A.

• Halloween is naturally most popular over America. Children there wear scary costumes and knock on home’s doors in their neighbourhood saying “ Trick or Treat”. In case somebody refuses to treat them with candy, then he/she has to be punished.

Jack-o'-lantern• Halloween’s most popular symbol is

the pumpkin head, also known as Jack-o'-lantern.

• It is named after an Irish drunk, who according to the myth has managed to cheat the devil himself, three times. After Jack had died, ten years after his coveant with the satan, he couldn’t go to the heaven as he was a sinner. He couldn’t go to the hell either, because of his dealings with the master of the underworld. At hell’s doors Jack had been given a coal, which he had put inside a hollowed out turnip. After that he had started wandering the world, anticipating the Judgement’s day. When Halloween was imported to America, the turnip was replaced by a pumpkin.

Marian Rosenov Dimitrov