Autumn is one of the four temperate seasons. Marking the transition from summer to winter, autumn, also known as fall, is a time enjoyed by millions around the world. With its many traditions and cool weather, autumn offers a multitude of opportunities to enjoy yourself by participating in a wide variety of activities. Whether that’s spending time outside, indulging in one of the many pumpkin flavored food items, or simply enjoying the weather, autumn has so many things to offer. While those activities are all great, they are also globally accepted as fall activities. In order to understand what fall means to different countries around the world, we have to focus on traditions that take place in fall. Below are a few fall holiday traditions and the countries where they are most commonly practiced.

Halloween – United States, UK, Ireland, Canada

Halloween, one of the most widely known fall holidays, should definitely be familiar to most people in our country. It’s celebrated in every state, in towns all over America. What people may not know though, is that Halloween is not exclusive to the U.S. It is a tradition that actually originates across the pond in the British Isles.

The origin of Halloween is one of celebration. The practice originates from a 2000-year-old Celtic celebration known as Samhain. People would light fires and celebrate their successful harvest on or around October 31st, the day that is now Halloween. During this time, celebrants would often try to communicate with their passed loved ones, leave food out for spiritual visitors, and dress in costumes to scare off evil. The practice of carving Jack O’Lanterns also came from Samhain, though they were originally made from turnips.

The origin of Halloween is not solely from Samhain, however. The Catholic church established its own holiday in the 7th century, making November 1st All Saints’ Day, also known as All-Hallows. Later, All Souls’ Day, on November 2nd, was created. This day remembered all deceased people who weren’t saints. Worshippers in England and Ireland would practice “souling,” where they would go door-to-door in wealthy neighborhoods and receive “soul cakes” in exchange for prayers for their donors’ deceased loved ones. This is where the practice of trick-or-treating comes from. 

The fact that Halloween was born out of two different traditions is fascinating, and it is truly amazing in that it continues to bring joy and happiness to children around the world.

Dia De Los Muertos – Mexico

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a celebration held from November 1st-2nd mainly in Mexico. It honors family and loved ones who have died. While its name might suggest otherwise, it is actually a fun and colorful celebration about the importance of life. The holiday involves family and friends gathering to pay respects and remember close ones who have died. 

Traditions during the holiday include honoring the dead using calaveras and Aztec marigold flowers known as cempazúchitl. Another practice is building home altars called ofrendas with the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these items as gifts. The holiday is not only focused on the dead though. It is also common practice to give gifts to friends such as candy sugar skulls, share traditional pan de muerto, and to write light-hearted verses known as calaveras literarias. These are written in the form of mock epitaphs and are dedicated to living friends.

It is not fully agreed upon where Dia de los Muertos originates from. Some historians say it is a modern adaptation of existing Medieval European traditions, such as All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day. Others argue that despite European influence, there exists proof of other traditional festivities that were very similar. The Aztec people held at least six celebrations during the year, all very similar to Day of the Dead. The closest one is Quecholli, a celebration that honored Mixcóatl (the god of war). It was celebrated between October 20 and November 8. The celebration also included similar aspects such as placing food on altars near the burying grounds of warriors. This was done to help them in their journey to the afterlife. 

Regardless of its origin, Dia De Los Muertos has become a national symbol in Mexico and as such is taught in the nation’s school system, typically asserting a native origin. It is a beautiful holiday which celebrates and honors those who are no longer with us in very creative ways.

Chuseok – Korea

Chuseok is a Korean harvest festival that takes place in the middle of Autumn. Chuseok literally means “autumn evening.” It was originally referred to as Hangawi, or “the great middle of autumn.” The festival is held from the 14th day of the 8th lunar month to the 16th day. The Korean people return to their ancestral hometowns and celebrate the harvest. During this time, many events are held such as feasts and traditional games. It is also a time of remembrance where it is tradition to visit ancestral graves and honor the dead.

During Chuseok, many traditional events are held. One of these events, Sonori, involves participants dressing up as Cows and Turtles, going around town, and playing traditional Korean folk music. The music utilizes drums, dancing, and singing. Another game that is played during Chuseok is Ssireum. In this sport, two opponents wrestle each other and try to bring the other down. The game has been around for over 5000 years and is popular with both young and old. Due to its popularity, large scale tournaments are held, even outside the Chuseok celebration. One other game that is played during the festival is Juldarigi, or tug-of-war. Two groups of people are divided into two teams representing the female and male forces of the natural world. The game is considered an agricultural rite to predict the results of the year’s farming. If the team representing the female concept won, it was thought the harvest that year would be rich.

Chuseok isn’t just about games though. It is also a time for remembrance and thankfulness. Families will travel from large cities to their hometowns to pay respect to the spirits of their ancestors. People perform ancestral worship rituals, then they visit the tombs of their immediate ancestors to trim plants, clean the area around the tomb, and offer food, drink, and crops to their ancestors. The rest of the day is spent feasting together and bonding with the family members.

The Origins of Chuseok comes from a traditional month-long weaving contest between two teams. During the celebration, the team that had woven more cloth won and would be treated to a feast by the losing team. It is believed that weaving competitions, archery competitions, and martial arts demonstrations were held as part of the festivities. This is very similar to the customs practiced during Chuseok. Many scholars also believe Chuseok may originate from ancient shamanistic celebrations of the harvest moon.

Mid-Autumn (Moon) Festival – China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam

The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, is a traditional festival celebrated in Chinese culture. Similar holidays are celebrated in Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and other countries in East and Southeast Asia as well, one of those being Chuseok.

The Moon Festival is one of the most important holidays in Chinese culture. Its popularity is on par with that of Chinese New Year. The Mid-Autumn Festival is based on the legend of Chang’e, the Moon goddess in Chinese mythology. The history of the Mid-Autumn Festival dates back over 3,000 years. The Moon festival is held on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunar calendar. This date corresponds to mid-September to early October of the Gregorian calendar. On this day, the Moon is at its brightest and fullest size, coinciding with harvest time in the middle of Autumn. It is believed that flowers will fall from the sky on the night of the moon’s birthday, and those who saw them fall would be blessed with great abundance. The celebration focuses on three important concepts: gathering with family, thanksgiving, and praying.

During the Moon festival, there are multiple traditions that are celebrated. One of those is the lighting of lanterns. Lanterns of all shapes and sizes are carried and displayed. These symbolic beacons light people’s path to prosperity and good fortune. An interesting thing done with the lanterns is that people will write riddles on them and have other people try to guess the answers. Another tradition is the sharing of mooncakes, a rich pastry typically filled with sweet-bean, egg yolk, meat, or lotus-seed paste. These cakes are traditionally eaten during the festival and they represent completeness and reunion. The sharing and eating of these cakes among family members during the festival signifies the completeness and unity of families. In some areas of China, tradition is to make mooncakes during the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival. The senior person in that household cuts the mooncakes into pieces and distributes them to each family member. Lighting incense sticks is also popular.

The history of the festival goes back quite a long time. The Chinese have celebrated the harvest during the autumn full moon since the Shang dynasty. The term mid-autumn first appeared in Rites of Zhou, a written collection of rituals. Not until the Northern Song Dynasty did the Mid Autumn Festival become a popular folk festival. That is also when it became officially designated as the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar.

Oktoberfest – Germany

The Oktoberfest is the world’s largest Volksfest, featuring a beer festival and a traveling carnival. It is held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. The celebration is a 16- to 18-day folk festival running from mid- or late-September to around the first Sunday in October, with a turnout of more than six million visitors. Oktoberfest originally marked the marriage of the Crown Prince of Bavaria. The Oktoberfest is a very important part of Bavarian culture, having been held since the year 1810. Other cities across the world also hold Oktoberfest celebrations that are modeled after the original Munich event.

During the event, large quantities of Oktoberfest Beer are consumed. Visitors also enjoy numerous attractions, such as amusement rides, stalls, and games. There is also a wide variety of traditional foods available. During Oktoberfest, a parade is held. The current form of the parade has taken place since 1935, the year where all the breweries first took part. The parade includes decorated horse carriages and floats of the breweries, carriages of the other restaurateurs and showmen, and bands from the beer tents. After the parade, at exactly 12:00 the lord mayor opens the first beer barrel. With the Bavarian exclamation, “O’zapft is!” (It has been tapped!) the Oktoberfest is declared open. Twelve gunshots are then fired off. This is the signal for the other restaurateurs to start with the serving of beer. Traditionally, the Bavarian Minister-President is served the first liter of beer. Then in the other tents, the first barrels are tapped and beer is served to the visitors.

The Munich Oktoberfest originally took place in the 16-day period leading up to the first Sunday in October. King Ludwig I married Princess Therese on 12 October 1810. The new couple then invited the citizens of Munich to attend the festivities on the fields in front of the city gates. Horse races were held to honor the newlyweds. The decision to repeat the horse races, spectacle, and celebrations was made in 1811, which launched the annual Oktoberfest tradition. The fairground was chosen due to its natural suitability.

All in all, Autumn is a very different experience around the world, but it is a time that also shares similar traits. Autumn is generally regarded as a season to reflect and appreciate what we have. Many countries hold holidays or festivals that prioritize family and friends and being thankful for the harvest. While different cultures may seem very different from each other, when looking into their traditions, we can see that they can be quite similar.