Halloween in Europe
Jul 22nd, 2013, 06:28 PM
#5
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I've been in Ireland many times for Halloween. I've seen parades, lots and lots of people (adults and children) in costume, going to parties and pubs. I thought it was a much bigger deal than in the US
Jul 22nd, 2013, 10:12 PM
#7
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My experience in Germany is exactly the opposite: the kids go trick or treating, but that is the extent of the celebration. Some of the discos and clubs might offer something, though.
No parades, fireworks or big public celebrations though, at least in my corner of Germany.
No parades, fireworks or big public celebrations though, at least in my corner of Germany.
Jul 22nd, 2013, 11:03 PM
#8
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Halloween isn't really a big thing in the uk either...at least in my experience in London. You may get groups of young people going out clubbing or on pub crawls dressed in fancy dress (what we call dressing up) but its nothing like what we had in Canada when I was growing up.
Jul 22nd, 2013, 11:23 PM
#10
Halloween was a brief fad in France for two years about ten years ago, after it was explained to them (at least those who do not follow American pop culture through the horror film industry). It has not disappeared from all but the most diehard expat places, and nobody misses it.
Jul 23rd, 2013, 12:08 AM
#12
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You wouldn't even know it was Halloween in England (apart from a few kids out trick or treating - which, like Kerouac said about France - is a fairly recent craze that is on the decline). Defitiely no parades, fireworks, public celebrations - just no tradition of this in England.
Jul 23rd, 2013, 12:26 AM
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A bigger celebration in the UK and something unique to the UK is bonfire night, in and around November 5th. It's a 400 year old celebration of the foiling of a plot to blow up Parliament and the King.
Up and down the countries, local government and community groups put on public firework displays and huge bonfires. The most famous of these is in Lewes in Sussex, where there is a huge parade through the dark streets, but events happen up and down the country.
Bonfire celebrations happen either on the 5th, or the nearest Friday and Saturday nights, so if you're in the UK around then, I would thoroughly recommend it. You can find event listings here: http://www.skiddle.com/bonfirenight
Around here, Halloween is just for kids and isn't that big a deal. A few pubs might put up some cobwebs and sell oddly coloured beer and that's about it.
Up and down the countries, local government and community groups put on public firework displays and huge bonfires. The most famous of these is in Lewes in Sussex, where there is a huge parade through the dark streets, but events happen up and down the country.
Bonfire celebrations happen either on the 5th, or the nearest Friday and Saturday nights, so if you're in the UK around then, I would thoroughly recommend it. You can find event listings here: http://www.skiddle.com/bonfirenight
Around here, Halloween is just for kids and isn't that big a deal. A few pubs might put up some cobwebs and sell oddly coloured beer and that's about it.
