Halloween
At first, why is called Halloween? November 1 is “All Saints' Day (Hallowmas)”. So, October 31 is the eve of that day=All Hallow Eve. Then it is called Halloween. Originally, this festival is a religion behavior of Celtic about 2,000 years ago. People believed that people who died come to life in this day.
Speaking of Halloween, Dressing up, Trick or Treat, Pumpkin!!! First is dressing up. Ancient people believed that dead people come back to life. So they get children to dress up and intend to drive off them. Second is “Trick or Treat”. People prepared treat as an offering to calm down ghosts. However, children wanted to get treat. So they began to say this word as a trick. Last is pumpkin. People make Jack-o-Lantern. It is the lantern of pumpkin. This is also for driving off ghosts.
Now, Halloween party is held all over the world. Children and adults enjoy this festival. In Portugal, this is starting to be a custom, and is already celebrated in many night places like bars and clubs.
But the Portuguese tradition is also kept. Children do not go to play trick or treat but they go ask for some traditional Portuguese cake called “merendeira” or some sweats and chocolates. The “merendeira” is a tipical little cake made especially from this time on until Christmas.