Although not a replacement for Halloween, on the 1st and 2nd of November, there is the annual Day of the Dead festival in Mexico. It is believed that on this day the border between life and death dissolves and therefore it’s common practice to leave out offerings for passed away loved ones. For instance, many families will leave out the favourite meals of lost family members whist the souls of the dead return to Earth on this day to celebrate, feast and eat with their families.
There are multiple arguments over which castle in Romania was inspiration for Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula and one of the front runners is named Bran Castle, situated in Transylvania. This 14th century fortress, steeped in haunted history, holds a yearly celebration on Halloween within the grounds of the castle. Extremely popular with tourists, this party perfectly epitomises the Halloween festivities for those who wish to relive a story over 120 years old.
On the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, the Hungry Ghost Festival is celebrated in Hong Kong. This festival is celebrated to appease the ravenous ghosts. The people of Hong Kong participate in these traditions by creating paper origami gifts and burning them, holding choirs at night leaving the front row seats empty for the ghosts and burning fake paper money.
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