Welcome to the Spooky Season, Canadian Newcomers! If this is your first October in Canada, you might be wondering why your neighbours are decorating their homes with skulls, ghosts and giant spider webs. This is for one of Canada’s favourite holidays: Halloween, celebrated on October 31st every year. And what does “Spooky” mean? It is a playful slang word for “scary” which suggests that it really is not scary at all.
A Brief History
Halloween's roots trace back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain in what is now the U.K, which marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter. This was believed to be a time when the boundary between our world and the spirit world became more permeable, allowing spirits to roam the earth, and sometimes haunt (not hunt) certain humans they may not be happy with. To scare away these spirits, people lit bonfires, wore scary costumes and carved scary faces into turnips – more on that later! They also went door-to-door performing or singing with the threat of mischief (trick) if a treat or food was not given in exchange which is now called “trick-or-treating".
North American Evolution
In the 19th century, a wave of Irish and Scottish immigrants brought their Halloween traditions to North America and has now become in the USA and Canada a widely celebrated secular day where we can be playful and not take ourselves so seriously.
Canada’s Multicultural Approach
In true Canadian fashion, Halloween here embraces a "come as you are" spirit. Our multicultural society means that Halloween celebrations can be as diverse as our population. There’s no one "right" way to celebrate—it’s all about having fun and expressing yourself!
How Different Age Groups Celebrate
Children: For kids, Halloween often means dressing up in costumes and going trick-or-treating with their friends (with parental supervision) going door-to-door in their neighbourhood, saying "Trick or treat!" to collect candy.
Teenagers: Teens might attend Halloween costume parties, go trick-or-treating together, or watch scary movies with friends.
Adults: Many adults enjoy Halloween too! They might host costume parties, decorate their homes, hand out candy at their front doors, supervise their children while trick-or-treating, or take treats and wear a few fun items at work.
Pumpkin Carving Tradition
Carving pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns is an activity that dates to the old tradition of carving scary faces into turnips to scare away evil spirits. We now carve pumpkins into glowing “jack-o'-lanterns” and use them as glowing front-of-house decor, but also as signals that a house is participating in trick-or-treating!
Tips for Carving
1. Choose Your Pumpkin and tools: Look for a fresh pumpkin with a sturdy stem and a flat bottom. You don’t need fancy tools; a small, serrated knife and a large spoon can work, or you can buy a pumpkin carving kit at the dollar store
2. Get Creative: Watch YouTube “how-to” videos and use free online stencils.
3. Light It Up Safely: Using battery-operated "candles” is the safest way to light up your pumpkin and avoid your pumpkin catching on fire
Tips for Newcomer Parents
1. Safety First: If you’re taking young children trick-or-treating, stick to well-lit areas and familiar neighborhoods. Adult supervision is a must until they are 12 or so. You will find many families and groups on the streets – observe what they do.
2. Costume Considerations: Canada can be chilly in October, so consider warm costumes or add layers underneath.
3. Collection bags: Large re-useable shopping bags for collecting candy are useful, but some use old pillowcases as they can carry a lot more!
4. Candy Check: It’s a good idea to inspect your children’s candy before they eat it.
5. Handing out Candy: If you are not handing out candy, keep your porch light off as a signal that. If you are, a bit of decor also signals your participation. Candy and chips for Halloween are found in many stores. Ask a neighbour how much you should buy as some areas have more children than others. Often parents of young children divide duties so one adult stays home as the other adult supervises the children outside trick-or-treating.
6. Learn the Lingo: "Trick or treat" is the traditional phrase kids say when they knock on doors, and then of course “Thank-you!”
The Many Faces of Halloween
In Canada, you’ll see that some may carve pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns while others might decorate their homes with fake cobwebs, skeletons, or spooky lights. Don’t be surprised to see costumes ranging from traditional scary monsters to popular movie characters or even clever puns come to life. The beauty of Halloween in Canada is that anything goes! Remember, there’s no pressure to participate, but it is a great way to connect with your neighbours. If you decide to join in, you’re in for a treat!