We all know the scene: pumpkins glowing on porches, kids in costumes shouting “trick or treat!” as they race between houses, and parents sneakily sampling from the sweet stash. It’s Halloween as we know it — playful, spooky, sugar-filled.
But that version of Halloween isn’t the only one.
Around the world, people have developed their own traditions to mark the changing of seasons, honour the dead, or simply celebrate being a little mischievous. From singing ghost-songs in the Philippines to sugar skull parades in Mexico, the spirit of Halloween takes many forms — some far older and deeper than we realise.
In this post, we’re diving into eight of the most interesting trick-or-treat traditions around the world, exploring how different cultures interpret costumes, candy, and connection. Whether you’re here for the history, planning a Halloween-themed school project, or just love all things spooky, grab your torch (and a toffee apple) — let’s go global. 🌍🕯️
Ireland & Scotland: Halloween’s Ancient Roots
Halloween didn’t start with candy or costumes. It started with fire, fear, and folklore.
Over 2,000 years ago, Celtic communities in Ireland and Scotland marked Samhain (pronounced “sow-in”), a festival signalling the end of the harvest and the start of winter. But this wasn’t just a calendar event — it was a spiritual one. It was believed that on October 31st, the veil between the living and the dead was thinnest, and spirits could pass into our world.
The First “Costumes”?
To avoid being recognised by malevolent spirits, villagers would wear animal hides and eerie disguises — early precursors to Halloween costumes. It was spiritual protection, not play.
By the Middle Ages, this transformed into guising — where children went door to door in disguise, offering a song, poem, or trick in exchange for food or coins. It was common in both Scotland and Ireland — and very much a forerunner of today’s trick-or-treating.
People also handed out soul cakes, spiced shortbreads given in exchange for prayers for the dead. And dinner often came with fortune-telling: a coin in your colcannon (potato and cabbage) meant wealth was coming; a ring in your barmbrack (fruit bread) foretold marriage.
Samhain festivals are still held in places like Derry, Ireland — with fire shows, parades, and thousands in costume. And many households still make colcannon on Halloween night, hiding coins for the kids.
United States: Trick-or-Treating on a Grand Scale
No country has shaped modern Halloween quite like the United States. If the Celtic nations birthed the tradition, America put it in a superhero costume, added a bucket of candy, and turned it into an institution.
While the phrase “trick or treat” first appeared in Canadian print (more on that later), it was in post-WWII America that it exploded. Suburbanisation, baby booms, and a desire to tame Halloween mischief gave rise to the now-familiar routine of costumes, doorbells, and sweets.
In many US neighbourhoods, Halloween is the biggest community event of the year. Some families spend weeks on their decor — synchronising lights to spooky music, building haunted driveways, even handing out personalised treat bags.
Others host trick-or-treat parties, where children go house-to-house in groups with supervising adults. In cities, apartment buildings organise floor-by-floor visits or lobby events. Everywhere you go, Halloween means connection. Many schools and churches now host trunk-or-treat events — where cars are decorated, parked in a circle, and children collect sweets from boot to boot. It's safe, accessible, and ideal in areas with fewer walkable streets.
There are also allergy-friendly options like teal pumpkins (signalling non-food treats) and events for children with sensory needs or mobility issues.
It’s Not Just for Kids
Adult participation is huge: themed cocktail parties, matching family costumes, and even dog parades are part of the fun. Halloween in the US is less a night and more a season-long celebration — with costumes appearing in stores from August and pumpkin spice hitting shelves before the leaves turn.
Mexico: Día de los Muertos
In Mexico, the season of spirits is celebrated not with frights — but with vibrant remembrance.
Unlike Halloween, Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) isn’t about fear. It's about love, life after death, and keeping the memory of those we’ve lost alive through joy. Cities like Oaxaca and Mexico City hold incredible parades, and artists create intricate sand tapestries and paper crafts. And while Halloween decor is sold in stores, it’s Día de los Muertos that dominates the season’s spirit.
Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) runs from October 31 to November 2, overlapping with Halloween but grounded in a much older blend of Aztec beliefs and Catholic rituals.
Altars, Candles, and Calaveras
Families build ofrendas — home altars filled with candles, sugar skulls, marigolds, photographs, and favourite foods of their departed. These offerings welcome back loved ones for a visit. Graves are swept and decorated. Picnics are held in cemeteries. Children do sometimes go door to door asking “¿Me da mi calaverita?” — “Can I have my little skull?” In return, they’re given sweets, tiny toys, or sugar skulls — candy with meaning.
Philippines: Pangangaluluwa - Halloween with Hymns
In the Philippines, the original form of trick-or-treating is less about scares and more about songs for the souls of the dead.
Pangangaluluwa
This practice, traditionally done on All Saints’ Day (Nov 1), sees children and teens going door-to-door singing prayers or folk songs for souls in purgatory. In return, they receive coins, food, or native treats like kakanin (rice cakes).
It’s haunting in the most beautiful sense — a cross between carolling and ghostly remembrance. Some groups wear white sheets to symbolise souls; others paint their faces. In some villages, elders dress as saints and bless the children before they go out — adding a layer of reverence to the ritual.
Today, pangangaluluwa is mostly practised in rural areas, while malls and gated communities in cities host Western-style trick-or-treating. However, many schools include pangangaluluwa reenactments, keeping the tradition alive for new generations.
Japan: Halloween as a Cosplay Carnival
Japan didn’t grow up with Halloween — but it’s fully embraced it in the last two decades and given it a unique, fashion-forward twist.
Street Theatre
Every October, the Shibuya district in Tokyo turns into a massive costume party. Tens of thousands of people — mostly adults — show up in jaw-dropping outfits: anime icons, horror creatures, political satire, even mashups like zombie Pikachu.
While there’s no door-to-door trick-or-treating in residential neighbourhoods, malls and theme parks often host candy events for children, complete with pumpkin buckets and cute ghosts.
Halloween is now one of the most commercially profitable times of year for Japanese retailers. Limited-edition KitKats, pumpkin-themed bento boxes, haunted donuts from Mister Donut — it’s a sensory delight.
Why It Works
Japanese Halloween isn’t about scares or sugar — it’s about transformation, community, and creativity. And it’s a perfect example of how a tradition can be reinterpreted in a way that still captures the joy of dressing up and celebrating together.
Netherlands: Sint Maarten’s Lantern Walk
In the Netherlands, Halloween is growing — but the traditional trick-or-treat equivalent happens later, on November 11th: Sint Maarten’s Day.
Singing with Light
Children walk through their neighbourhoods carrying homemade lanterns, often made from paper or carved turnips, singing songs at each door. In return, they’re given sweets, small gifts, or fruit. Some of the songs date back centuries and tell stories of Saint Martin sharing his cloak with a beggar — a symbol of kindness, sharing, and warmth.
In larger cities, Halloween is gaining popularity thanks to American media and Instagram. You’ll find themed cupcakes in bakeries, costumes in supermarkets, and kids knocking on doors on both October 31st and November 11th — sometimes combining traditions.
Canada: The Quiet Trick-or-Treat Pioneer
Canada doesn’t shout about it — but it might have coined “trick or treat.” The phrase appeared in a 1927 Alberta newspaper, describing kids going door to door on Halloween. That’s before it showed up in American papers, making Canada a quiet pioneer in modern Halloween customs. Scottish and Irish immigrants brought guising and soul-caking with them. Over time, these customs blended into what became today’s costume-and-candy culture.
Sub-zero Spooks
Halloween in Canada often means costumes layered over thermals and snow boots. In colder provinces, trick-or-treaters might brave sleet and snow — with mittens stuffed into monster claws and fairy wings peeking out from under parkas.
Pumpkin patches, haunted hayrides, corn mazes, and school parades are all common. And in multicultural areas, Halloween often merges with Diwali, Día de los Muertos, and other autumn festivals — making for a beautifully blended celebration.
Australia: A Sunny, Spooky Spring
Halloween is relatively new to Australia — and not without controversy. Older generations often dismissed it as “too American.” But younger families — and retailers — have embraced it, and it’s now a staple in many communities.
The Neighbourhood Approach
Because not every home participates, families often place balloons or signs on letterboxes to show they’re open to trick-or-treaters. Entire cul-de-sacs organise mini festivals, with maps shared on Facebook groups and kids moving in safe clusters. Some councils even provide “Halloween Starter Kits” with treat bags and safety tips.
Because October is springtime, Aussie Halloweens feature light evenings, blooming flowers, and warm weather. You’re just as likely to see trick-or-treaters in thongs and ghost t-shirts as you are vampires in velvet capes.
🎃 Final Thoughts: One Holiday, Many Meanings
What connects Ireland’s Samhain, Japan’s cosplay parades, and the Philippines’ soul songs? At their heart, all these traditions are about storytelling, connection, and celebration — often with a touch of mystery. Whether it’s by candlelight, costume, or candy, these cultures use October 31st (and the days around it) to come together, honour the past, and spark joy in the present.
And that’s what Trick or Treat is all about. 🌍🎃
Whether you're navigating your own neighbourhood or exploring how others celebrate across the world, we’re here to help you make Halloween magical.
👉 Join the Trick or Treat Map to find the best stops, plan your route, and build spooky community spirit — wherever you are.
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