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Originally Posted by Trev
One question. Why is halloween so big in the states?
It's kind of a humdrum event that comes before petrol and gunpowder here in the UK, so a little bit of a heads up would be nice.  |
I don't know why Halloween is so big as a secular holiday, but it really is a big deal here. Stores are full of costumes and candy. Children go trick-or-treating in most places. (We live on a huge hill with one lane driveway off of a treacherous street, so we don't get trick or treaters.) When we lived in Louisville, though, everything was laid out in nice, flat rectangles and there were lots of trick or treaters. (The rule is: if the porch light is on, you can visit the house and get candy. If the porch light is off, they're not playing, don't go there.)
It's a religious holiday called Samhain for pagans.
Being so close to Mexico, we also get to celebrate Day of the Dead on November 2nd. Skeletons and skulls everywhere, but it is a happy celebration, honoring your deceased relatives.