Halloween celebration in Chile: How and when is it celebrated?

As in many Latin American countries, Halloween night and the day of the dead or deceased, are celebrated every October 31 and November 1 respectively. During those celebrations, parties and celebrations are held around those dates.

For the so-called Witches' Night, it takes place at the Halloween party every October 31, and there they usually wear Halloween costumes to go out on the streets, children asking for sweets and adults to theme parties.

These costumes are usually of horror characters, characteristic for the theme for which they are used. They can be referred to characters from movies or popular stories that refer to the day of the dead.

In the universe of theme parties, you can find different costumes, and the most original fairytale costumes or Halloween costumes that will comply with the slogan of dressing up as a deceased person to attend the celebrations of that day.

In addition, there are as many costumes for men as there are costumes for women and in different sizes. There are even accessories to make the costume more complete or to complement with clothing that is chosen for that particular day.

There are also couples costumes that are usually horror characters like Jack and his deceased girlfriend, or the well-known horror movie character Chucky and the bride of Chucky. You can also find costumes for children.

In what are costumes for the little ones, you can also choose superhero costumes or princess costumes since being children, they do not necessarily have to be representing horror characters.

Why is the day of the dead celebrated?

This is an ancient belief that is linked to religion, and has its origin in the Catholic or Christian church, to remember and entertain the deceased, who are generally relatives and loved ones by those who remember them.

The date varies in some places and is usually between October 31 and November 2, and this varies according to the cultures and the countries where the celebration takes place. And in some countries it takes place from November 2 to the 12 of that month.

In the first instance and beyond the night parties or banal celebrations, the Day of the Dead or week of the dead is carried out with the aim of praying and praying for those souls whose earthly bodies are no longer there.

Above all, for those who have recently had an end and their family and friends who were left on earth, pray for their souls, that they may rest in peace. It is a completely mystical and religious belief.

In general, the churches of Catholic origin throughout the world celebrate it on the same dates, since it is a question of organization in the calendar, and in this way summon believers and parishioners to the celebration of that particular date.

In this particular religion, the Catholic, it is about praying for those souls who left unresolved issues or who committed impure acts and who are still in a place prior to heaven, called purgatory, where they are supposed to cleanse all guilt there. and sin, to rise to the kingdom of heaven where the holy father is.

Meanwhile, in some cultures such as Mexico, believers on this day go to cemeteries or Christian places to pray for all those who have left their earthly life, that is, they pray for all souls.

It is about commemorating those lives that are no longer there, making offerings such as flowers and lighted candles, as well as processions with saints and accompanied by songs to make this a memorable celebration.

In Chile, the celebration takes place the first two days of November and takes place within the framework of All Saints' Day, and there a particular celebration is held around the deceased and with the same purpose as other cultures, to ask especially for those souls that are purifying themselves to then rise to heaven and rest in peace.

Witches night or Halloween

This celebration had its commercial origin in the United States, but today it is celebrated in many Western countries, being used as an excuse to hold theme parties and meet friends and loved ones.

This is a special night where children and adults meet to celebrate the eve of the day of the dead or all saints, according to the tradition of each country. With themed costumes that reference characters from tales, stories and horror movies, people go out to celebrate Halloween.

It is a pagan tradition or festival, which although it is linked to the religious celebration, has more to do with the anti-belief, the B side of the belief of the souls and as a more commercial question of the matter.

This pagan celebration also has its origin in a religious branch belief, since November 1 is the day of the saints or of the dead, so the popular belief said that the witches and the souls in pain came out the night before. to demonstrate against.

In this type of celebration, the most orthodox religious used to light bonfires in the past, since it was believed that the fire chased away souls in sorrow and dark entities, and thus managed to spend the pagan night and start All Saints' Day in peace and harmony to pray for those souls who are in purgatory.

A part of the Celtic culture, for example, had these kinds of beliefs about dark presences that had to be chased away. In this way, the culture about the dead passes from generation to generation, also pushed by the mercantile industry that turns a day of belief into a day of consumption.