It’s officially October, and that means Halloween is just around the corner! While the holiday is incredibly popular in the US, you may have noticed that Aussies don’t seem as bothered by it.
Here’s a quick look at the history of Halloween, and some insight into whether or not Australians are likely to be celebrating it.
Halloween history
Halloween, or All Hallows’ Eve, originates from Celtic pagan culture in the British Isles, with All Hallows’ Eve typically being linked to the festival of Samhain, or Summer’s End. This festival marked the end of summer and the harvest season, and the beginning of the darker half of the year.
The spooky side of Halloween comes from the idea that this period is considered a ‘liminal time’. This means that the boundary between the physical world and the spiritual world is weaker, allowing spirits and fairies (called the Aos Si) to cross into the physical. In times past, food and drink would be left outside for these fairies to ensure good luck and survival through winter.
The fairies visiting from the spiritual realm also led to the modern Halloween tradition of dressing up, with those partaking in the festivities dressing up as fairies, the dead, or other ghouls and going house to house, receiving offerings of food in place of the Aos Si.
While the tradition started off in Celtic Britain, it soon found its way to America from the high levels of Irish and British immigration across the Atlantic. In the 20th century, America truly embraced Halloween and Americanised it into what it is today, with the event now being celebrated in the United States far more than it is across the British Isles.
So, does Australia celebrate Halloween?
The short answer used to be: no, not really. But over the last five to ten years, there has been a general uptake in spooky celebrations across the country.
While we definitely don’t celebrate Halloween to the extent that they do in the US, an article from the ABC (2024) stated that more than one in five Australians were likely to join in some form of celebration, with the annual spend across the nation for costumes, snacks and decorations expected to be around $450 million.
With global connection only continuing to grow, social media has very likely played a role in the uptake of traditionally American customs, such as trick-or-treating and ‘boo boxes’ (little goody bags or boxes, typically put together for children, containing Halloween-themed snacks, books or trinkets).
“Social media, of course, is a vehicle for people to share photos and videos of things like costumes and house decorations, thus increasing the presence of the holiday in our lives and potentially motivating some people to want to get involved themselves,” said Lauren Rosewarne, associate professor at the University of Melbourne.
There are, of course, some key differences in how we celebrate the holiday here in Australia.
One of the biggest differences is that for us, 31 October happens in the peak of springtime, meaning the spooky vibes of pumpkin carving, crunchy leaves, and dark stormy days are not so achievable. But as always, we’re happy to put our own spin on things: some people have opted for carving other, more seasonal, fruits and vegetables (think watermelon, or even pineapple!), and although it isn’t dark and dreary, the later sunset actually makes for some really pleasant, family-friendly trick-or-treat opportunities.
Of course, not everyone is on board with the celebrations. There is still a fairly common opinion that Halloween is nothing more than an overly commercialised sugar-fest that upholds American cultural values over Australian ones. While this certainly may be the case in some instances– and it is important to keep toxic consumeristic culture in mind–the wonderful thing about Australia is that we’re made up of millions of people who all celebrate differently, and there’s no reason we can’t bring an Aussie spin to something that is really just meant to be good fun.
How can I celebrate Halloween in Australia?
While Halloween celebrations might not be as common here in Australia as they are in the US, that doesn’t mean you have to give it a miss altogether. Small, community-based Halloween events are pretty common, so be sure to check your local bulletin boards and social media pages to see if there’s anything happening in your area.
If you can’t find much happening, or you don’t want to attend a public event, then you can always host something yourself! Whether it’s a full-on Halloween party with costumes and creepy snacks, or just a scary movie night at home with your mates, there’s plenty of room in Aussie culture for a fun fright night with friends.
Australia’s streaming services offer an awesome selection of creepy movies and series to get you in the Halloween spirit. Netflix offers everything from classic gothic horror like Nosferatu (2024) to your more ‘silly’ brand of scary, like Y2K (2024). The streaming service also features some classic Aussie horror flicks you won’t want to miss, such as Wolf Creek (2005) and The Babadook (2014). Stan has some great options as well, including classics like Carrie (1976), Friday the 13th (2009) and Pet Sematary (2019).
