Is Halloween a Public Holiday in the UK?
Halloween is not a public holiday in the UK. It is a normal working day and most organisations follow regular working hours.
How Common are Halloween Celebrations in the UK?
Halloween is now a major ‘thing’ in the United Kingdom. Many have said that this suggests the Americanization of the British culture, as Halloween had not entered the mainstream list of festivals and events until recent times. But currently, Halloween celebrations have taken the centre stage and all folks have started showing a genuine interest in this festival. Surprisingly, the original roots of this festival lie in countries like Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England only. Although it remains a working day, which means that Halloween holiday is not granted to the people of the UK, but Brit folks still take part in the Halloween night festivities with utmost vigour and good will.
Why is Halloween Celebrated in the UK?
As it is mentioned that the festival Halloween’s roots can be traced to the pagan festivals organized in countries like Wales, Ireland, Scotland and England.
All of these festivals arrived during the month of October in accordance with the history of Halloween in the UK. It was the belief of the indigenous folks
that the dead would get revived during this time of the year and walk freely amongst the livings.
Fearing any harmful occurrences on the part of the dead and
the unliving, the folks decided to wear costumes which made them resemble the dead. This may be the originator story behind the discovery of Halloween costumes.
However, it was declared to be an outlawed practice during the Puritan times. But as time passed by, it began to regain popularity and Halloween celebrations have
gained popularity.
How is Halloween Celebrated in the UK?
Just like everywhere, Halloween Celebrations in the UK consists of parties where the expected guests arrive by adhering to the dress code and the day’s theme. At the same time,
gatherings also take place of folks who sit down together to watch some horror or spooky movies. Meanwhile children go out trick-or-treating, for which they dress up and visit
the neighbouring households asking for sweets and candys. Many stores are seen following the Halloween theme due to their availability of such gift items and products.
The traditions of Halloween exist because it is supposed to be an ancient Celtic festival known as Samaihan. When Romans conquered England, they added some of their flavours to it.
With the incipience of Christiany eventually, All Saint’s Day came into existence and the evening before it is now celebrated as All Hallow’s Eve.
Meanwhile, Roman traditions like bobbing
the apple from water continued to flourish in England. All throughout the United Kingdom, children’s games such as bobbing for apples in water filled containers, recitation of ghost stories
and carving out spooky faces in vegetables like swedes and turnips. Earlier the Trick or Treat wasn’t a very popular occurrence in the United Kingdom, but as modernism slowly seeped in,Trick
or Treat also gained some amount of prominence.
Special Traditions of Halloween in UK
1. Needless to say, Trick or Treating tops the list when it comes to Halloween celebrations in UK
2. Fire becomes an important symbol of Halloween, which is lit inside a pumpkin to ward off evil spirits.
3. Usually, the fire is lit in “Jack-O-Lantern, which is made by carving a temple pumpkin or any such root veggies.
4. If you are in the UK during the time of Halloween, a Halloween costume is a must to experience a Brit Flavoured All Hallow’s Eve party.
5. Bobbing the Apple, as mentioned before also happens to be another popular occurrence on the day of Halloween.
Halloween Observances
| Year | Weekday | Date | Name | Holiday Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Thu | 31 October | Halloween | Observance |
| 2020 | Sat | 31 October | Halloween | Observance |
| 2021 | Sun | 31 October | Halloween | Observance |
| 2022 | Mon | 31 October | Halloween | Observance |
| 2023 | Tue | 31 October | Halloween | Observance |
| 2024 | Thu | 31 October | Halloween | Observance |
| 2025 | Fri | 31 October | Halloween | Observance |
FAQs
1. Do they celebrate Halloween in the UK?
Natives all around the UK get engaged in the grand celebrations of Halloween and remain in a fun frolic zone on this day. Get-togethers and costume parties are common occurrences on this day.
2. What is Halloween called in England?
Halloween used to be called All Hallows Eve in England. It is also known as Nut-crack Night, Thump-the-door Night, or Apple Night, and Candle Night.
3. Where did Halloween originally come from?
The origins of Halloween date back to the ancient Celtic Samhain festival. On November 1, the Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago, mainly in the area now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, celebrated their New Year.
4. Where is Halloween celebrated the most?
Though derived from ancient festivals and religious rites, Halloween is still widely celebrated in a number of countries across the globe today. Traditions include Halloween parties, trick-or-treating, pranks, and sports in countries such as Ireland, Canada, and the United States.
Halloween Celebrations in Other Countries
So, these are some of the basic trivia you need to know about the Halloween 2024 Celebrations in UK. Thank You so much for reading and connecting with us!!