The Philippines and Halloween  – Manila News

Halloween History

The spooky season has arrived! But how well do you know the occasion?

Whether you want to go for a spooky, sexy, or sophisticated look, Halloween is just around the corner, so start thinking about costume ideas now. The holiday, which many people celebrate with pumpkin carving and sugar overload, falls on the same date every year: October 31.

It’s an opportunity for both children and adults to dress up as someone else, disguise themselves with wigs and makeup, and partake in the rituals of the first holiday of the season.

If you’re already planning for this year, here’s everything you need to know about Halloween 2022 and why we celebrate it.

Get your costume right away:

Philippines and Halloween

In most parts of the world, October 31 or Halloween is the time for scary stories, fancy costumes, trick-or-treating, and all things dark and spooky.

In the Philippines and other Latin-influenced countries, however, it has a much deeper meaning. Halloween is just a prelude to the week-long celebration of Undas, a Filipino term for Día de Todos Los Santos or All Saints’ Day, derived from the Spanish word “honrar” (to honor).

Apart from All Saints’ Day, Filipinos and Latin Catholics also celebrate All Souls Day a day of prayer and remembrance for their dearly departed on the following day, November 2. Those who follow the traditions honor the memory of loved ones in different ways depending on their culture.

When will Halloween be in 2022?

Halloween will be celebrated on Monday, October 31, 2022.

That means the October 29th and 30th will be “Halloweekend,” the popular term coined for the Saturday and Sunday closest to the Holiday in which costume, candy, and grog enthusiasts can celebrate outside of work.

What exactly is Halloween, and why is it celebrated?

According to the History Channel, Halloween evolved from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The Celts believed that on October 31, the lines between the worlds of the living and the worlds of the dead would blur and ghosts would return to earth. To ward off the unholy spirits of, Celts established the Samhain festival, which included the lighting of bonfires and dressing up in costumes.

Later, in the eighth century, Pope Gregory III declared November 1st to be All Saints Day, a day to honor all earthly deities. The day before it was known as “All Hallows Eve.” Over time, Celtic traditions and All Hallows Eve traditions merged, eventually evolving into Halloween in its modern form.

Halloween evolved as different groups of Europeans, particularly the Irish, immigrated to the United States and their traditions merged with those of American Indians. In the nineteenth century, new traditions such as ghost stories, harvest festivals, and even trick-or-treating were gaining popularity.

According to The History Channel, by the 1920s and 1930s, the holiday had shed much of its hyper-religious past and had evolved into a more secular, community-based celebration.

Halloween is now somewhat divorced from religion, though it still violates certain religious doctrines. It has become a commercial boon for candy and costume sellers alike, as well as a reason for Americans to party late into the night.