The Autumn season has arrived and with it comes many fall traditions around the world. In North America, this time of year is filled with pumpkin spice, changing leaves and Thanksgiving. However, there are many other unique celebrations taking place throughout the rest of the globe. Here are just a few of the fall festivities going on in the next few months!
Oktoberfest
As the largest celebration of beer in the world, this German festival is famous for its drinks, Bavarian music and traditional clothing such as lederhosen. Running from the end of September to mid-October, Oktoberfest originated from a wedding celebration for Bavarian royalty back in 1810. Since then, this has been an annual event and many will flock to German cities for an authentic experience. If you are interested in attending Oktoberfest, make sure to buy tickets in advance as they will sell out and after that, all there is to do is enjoy the atmosphere. Ein Prosit!
Dia de los Muertos
A Mexican holiday celebrated on November 1st and 2nd, Dia de los Muertos is a day for families to welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives. The celebration involves food, drinks and music and is a joyful time to remember those who have passed. Beautiful altar displays will be set up in homes with decorations and candles and favourite foods or items will also be included to offer to the ancestors. For the main celebration, a party will take place at the graveyard where everyone will gather for a meal and perform live music. Throughout the day,
towns will be covered with skeleton decorations, but these are not your typical skeletons, they will be brightly coloured and doing fun activities.
Mid-Autumn Festival
Also known as the Mooncake Festival or Moon Festival, this Chinese celebration is to honour the harvest. The festival is held on the 15th day of the 8th month in the lunar calendar, which usually falls between mid-September to early October and on this day the moon is expected to be at its biggest and brightest. During the celebration, lanterns will be displayed to symbolize prosperity and mooncakes are typically eaten. These delicacies consist of a pastry filled with sweet bean, egg yolk and lotus seed paste. Similar traditions are celebrated throughout many
areas in East and Southeast Asia with each country enjoying their own customs and cultural dishes.
Diwali
In Hindi, Diwali translates to ‘festival of lights’ and is India’s biggest holiday of the year. This five-day festival takes place at the end of October or the beginning of November, depending on the Hindu lunar calendar. The celebration marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year and it will be celebrated in places all around the world. Celebrations will include fireworks, rituals and visits with family for gift-giving. Other common traditions include homes decorated with lamps to honour the Hindu Goddess of wealth and Rangoli, which involves creating beautiful patterns with colourful flowers and powder. The lights, colours and spending time with friends and family
make this a beautiful time enjoyed by all! This year Diwali falls on November 12th.
These are just a few of the holidays that were recently celebrated or may be coming up in places around the world. Each with their unique traditions and histories, learning about other festivals is a great way to increase your knowledge about other cultures and understand their values. These autumn holidays are all centred around spending time with others and hopefully this autumn you can also take some time to appreciate and be with your loved ones no matter the celebration!
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