I got some messages from several more friends after I made the video.
Outside of the United States, it seems like the country that celebrates Halloween the most is Mexico–but it’s a different kind of Halloween–and they usually don’t call it Halloween.
When my friend Cynthia from Puebla, Mexico wrote me back, her answer was littered with the word "offering". While there are still costumes and candies, the day seems to be more centered around the "offering". She was even kind enough to include some pictures.
Cynthia tells us, "All the kids that go to school celebrate, doing some dances at school–and they go disguised and have candies. In every school they also put an offering for each grade and the best one wins something."
Regarding outside the school, she adds: "60% put offerings at their home and they go to the cementery to see their dead people. Also some people put offerings downtown and many people go to watch them. Young adults go to costume parties."
Cynthia was the first one to report, "Over the years I have lived everything is very similar, nothing has changed."
Maybe this is why…
"And as a curious fact, some people in México don´t like the name Halloween, hehehe. They say it’s a USA tradition, they call it Dead’s Day."
Cynthia also attached an image of a "calaverita" which is "a writing with your name or the name that you are going to give the calaverita to, and it has to rhyme and say funny things… You give the calaverita to somebody at school, at work or just among friends."
Merve from Turkey: "Ha ha ha. Thats an easy question. There is no Halloween in Turkey. Nobody celebrates it. However, I have heard about it from the movies."
Chris from Australia: "I’d say 10% of the kids trick or treat, and 15% of the adults go to dress up parties. I’d say this is up from <1% in the last 3 years. Not sure what is driving it, guess people like to dress up."
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