🎃 Halloween: A Global Celebration of Spookiness? 👻

Globalization and the influence of American culture have brought Halloween to Germany and across Europe. Although we’ve been celebrating Halloween in Germany for about two decades, moving to the USA with my family provided me with a clearer understanding of the holiday’s nuances. Here are some key differences I've noticed:

🎃 Decorations: In the USA, Halloween decorations begin to appear as early as late September and are found in a wide variety of places—from private homes to doctors’ offices and public buildings. The holiday feels like a season in itself here.

🎃 Costumes: In Germany, Halloween costumes tend to focus on the spooky—think witches, vampires, and skeletons—while more playful or themed costumes are typically reserved for Carnival in February. In contrast, Halloween in the USA embraces a broader spectrum, including superheroes, cute animals, athletes, and even provocative outfits.

🎃 Trick-or-Treating vs. Trunk-or-Treating: While trick-or-treating, where children go door to door for treats, is well-known in Germany, trunk-or-treating has gained popularity in recent years in the USA. In trunk-or-treat events, participants decorate their car trunks and gather in parking lots, creating mini trick-or-treat stations. This setup is often viewed as safer, as it takes place in a controlled environment, reducing traffic concerns and allowing parents to supervise their children more closely.

💡 How do you celebrate Halloween in your country?