Halloween is an extremely popular holiday in the United States. People spend billions of dollars on candy, costumes, pumpkins, and decorations every year. According to the National Retail Federation, “total Halloween spending in 2015 topped $6.9 billion.” Halloween is all the rave here, but what about other parts of the world? How do they celebrate?

Ireland: Halloween in Ireland is a lot like how it is here in the United States. In rural areas, children dress up and go trick-or-treating in their neighborhoods. They attend bonfire parties with neighbors and friends and enjoy traditional Halloween foods including barnbrack, a kind of fruitcake. Children are also known to play tricks on their neighbors, such as “knock-a-dolly,” a prank in which children knock on the doors of their neighbors, but run away before the door is opened.

Canada: Jack O’Lanterns are carved and the festivities include parties, trick-or-treating and the decorating of homes with pumpkins and corn stalks.

France: Halloween in France is usually celebrated by costumed people of all ages going to parties at friends’ homes, restaurants, bars, or clubs. The costumes themselves tend to be traditionally “scary” – mummies, ghosts, goblins, witches, and vampires – rather than the cute costumes like princesses and superheroes. Trick-or-treating is extremely rare; when it does exist, it is not from house-to-house, but from store-to-store.

Many other countries around the world observe holidays that celebrate departed loved ones. Although not technically the same as Halloween, they are often similar to Halloween and share common themes.

Mexico, Latin America, and Spain: These countries celebrate Dia de los Muertos (the “Day of the Dead”) at the beginning of November each year. People will often visit cemeteries and build altars with food and other offerings for those who have passed away. In the villages, parades are held. People dress as skeletons and dance in the streets. Often, a live person is placed inside a coffin which is then paraded through the streets while vendors toss fruit, flowers, and candies into the casket. Home feasts are held, and loaves of bread, “Bread of the Dead” are given. Inside the loaves are sugar skeletons or other items of death motif. The families also attend candlelit ceremonies in church and offer prayers. The whole celebration is about life from beginning to end.

Japan: During the summer, the Japanese celebrate the “Obon Festival.” This annual event honors the spirits of their ancestors. According to the History Channel, “Obon” is one of the two main occasions during the Japanese year when the dead are believed to return to their birthplaces.” Fires are lit each night, and red lanterns are proudly displayed and released into rivers and the ocean.

China: Chinese New Year celebrations conclude with a lantern festival known as Teng Chieh. Lanterns shaped like various animals are hung in the streets and near homes to ward off evil spirits. The Chinese also honor deceased family members and loved ones by placing food and water in front of their photos.

Edith Hancock from the Business Insider wrote: “Halloween may be one of the biggest holidays in America, but the holiday, or versions of it, has an interesting history all over the world.”

How are you going to celebrate this year’s Halloween?!