Day of the dead and Halloween – by the sound of them, both seem to be similar festivals and seem to share an ominous vibe. But that is not the case, even though the two holidays are celebrated within days of each another.
Day of the Dead, a Mexican festival, differs in many aspects from the Christian one. Read below to know their differences and similarities.
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How Are Halloween And Day Of The Dead Different?
Besides sharing the common element of the dead, the holidays do not have much in common. Both are different in celebration, culture and lore.
The Mexican festival, usually celebrated on the first or second of November, unlike Halloween doesn’t include scary details. It pays homage to the deceased family members and friends. The holiday is celebrated with much pomp and joy. Calaveras, a decorated skull, is a common symbol of the festival. Alters of the dead are decorated with marigolds and are offered with oblations, comprising the spirits’ favorite foods. One might recognize the festival from the Academy Award-winning animated film, ‘Coco‘.
On the other hand, the Christian festival Halloween’s symbol is the famous carved pumpkin. The symbol originates from the Irish lore of Jack o’ Lantern, where Stinky Jack tricks Satan. Halloween customs are well known. People don someone else’s character for the night, and children go for trick or treat and groups share scary anecdotes.
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Are There Any Similarities?
If one might go into the history of Halloween, one might find some similarities with the Day of the Dead. The Christian holiday started out as All Hallows Day, where people celebrated the memory of the dead. All Hallows Day originally paid homage to all saints and Christian martyrs. But as time progressed, Halloween broke off from the Catholic holiday and now falls on 31 October.
Besides this, one can find the guises and face painting traditions of the festivals quite similar.
