When is halloween in australia

There are scarier things out there than a packet of Wizz Fizz for the road and a few plastic skeletons. Halloween in Australia is different now Cameron Williams. Topics Halloween Parents and parenting Family Australian lifestyle comment.

Reuse this content. Ghost tours, hunts and walks are popular during this time of the year. More Australians are also taking part in trick-or-treat adventures that involve organized groups of parents and children visiting neighbors. These children either receive a treat or present a trick to their neighbors. Some homes are decorated to fit the Halloween theme during this period.

Decorations include fake cobwebs, jack-o-lanterns and images of black cats or witches. Many stores sell Halloween-themed decorations, activity books, or clothing around this time of the year. It is a profitable time of the year for costume shops, online stores, and other places that sell or rent Halloween-themed items. Cinemas may also have special screenings or movie marathons featuring horror movies or films with a supernatural theme. Halloween is not a nationwide public holiday in Australia.

Retail businesses selling or renting out costumes and other Halloween-themed items may be particularly busy prior to and on Halloween. Various Halloween activities and events were held on a smaller scale in Australia in the past but this occasion is becoming more popular across the country.

More Australians are getting involved in celebrating Halloween, which originated from the ancient Celtic harvest festival known as Samhain. There is no straightforward answer as to why, but the three most common beliefs pertain to the Victorian pushback against Halloween, the Australian seasons, and Australian disdain for American cultural imperialism.

An article in the Washington Post blames the British social conservatism of the Victorian era as a reason for the lack of enthusiasm for Halloween in Australia. During the 19th century, the British Empire was at its peak and its rule was more absolute. The Post argues that it is this legacy of imperialism that remained in Australia long after the Empire broke down, leaving a lack of interest in Halloween to this day.

Halloween essentially marks the end of summer and the harvest, with the spooky events associated with Halloween being linked to less daylight. However, Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere, so when it is summer in the Northern hemisphere, it is winter here.

The lack of a religious reason to observe the festival as with Easter and Christmas simply meant there was no reason to celebrate Halloween in Australia. This loathing towards American commercialism is reflected in this article from the ABC :. Similarly, this article from SBS shows more cynicism towards the festival, highlighting the offensive costumes that are often worn at parties as another issue Australians have with American Halloween. You can check to see if your city has any events planned; some cities and local businesses such as cinemas may be hosting Halloween events this weekend.