There may officially be four seasons in a year, but let’s not forget the best and most underrated one: Spooky Season!
While we know that Halloween in the United States is a time to dress up and eat a lot of candy, it is not as widely celebrated elsewhere around the world. Let’s take a look at how international students have celebrated it after moving here! We asked a few of our members to share their Halloween experiences – here is what they said:
Halloween as an International Student
Mai, an exchange student from at Florida State University said this is her first time “properly” celebrating Halloween in the U.S. In her home country Japan, people get into the festive spirit by dressing up in all sorts of costumes and hand out candy – quite like trick-or-treating.
Mai also noted that she was surprised to see the role of, and associations with pumpkins. So, this coming weekend, she will be carving pumpkins with her friends and getting used to all things pumpkin-spiced.
Fernando is a third-time Halloween veteran in the U.S, attending University of Arkansas Fayetteville. His favorite memory from this spooky weekend includes a special dish his mother makes back home in Brazil: pumpkin, milk, and sugar all concocted together. Though not many people celebrate Halloween in Brazil, Fernando and his family always used it as an excuse to have fun in the kitchen together and sit down for some movies.
This year, he will be continuing these family traditions virtually in the U.S., watching movies, eating “fall” recipe-based foods and video calling his family.
Sindhu just celebrated her first-ever Halloween in the U.S. with her school at a themed event with masks and social distancing policies.
There were carnival games, painting and décor, movie screenings, and even a haunted house. Among the many activities, Sindhu was able to collect candy and decorate a wooden pumpkin with her friends.
It is not celebrated widely in her country of origin, India, so for a first timer, this is one for the books. She is already looking forward to Halloween 2022!
Does your home country celebrate Halloween? If so, how are the activities or traditions different than those in the U.S?
Halloween Activities
One quarter of all the candy sold annually in the U.S. is purchased for Halloween.
Games played during Halloween are always undergoing changes. Whether they are the most traditional ones of Apple Bobbing or Pin the Tail on the Donkey, the space to have fun is limitless as new ideas are always popping up: the “Dalgona Challenge” has been widely popularized by the TV show Squid Game, which could be an activity that you find yourself doing this year!
If you decide that this is the year to continue traditions of Halloween after a hiatus from the past, or if you still prefer to celebrate virtually, the fun is endless! For virtual Halloween activities, we have written here many things you can still do.
With many restrictions loosening and activities scheduled, it is important to remember to have fun and celebrate safely.
We would also love to hear from you! Share your Halloween experiences or upcoming plans – message or tag us on Instagram!
