1 month and 10 days until Halloween 2023! Boo!
Halloween, Halloween! Strangest sights I’ve ever seen! Witches' hats, black cats, mice, and rats! Don’t you just love Halloween? Pumpkins, jack-o’-lanterns, costumes, spooky decorations, lots of spiders… Yay! If you want to learn about Halloween's origins, traditions, and the different ways people celebrate this day, just continue reading!...
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Pumpkin
All of us look forward to getting the pumpkin out for some creative family fun. Take a look at this striking collection of pumpkin photos ready to be applied to your Halloween-themed projects in stunning color.
Ghost
On Halloween, the streets are filled with ghouls and ghosts! So it’s good practice to get yourself used to a high level of spookery by acquiring yourself some high-resolution ghost photos to apply to your creative Halloween projects.
Scary
Step into a world of shadows and shivers with this collection of scary photos. Whether you're conjuring dark designs or seeking to terrify your followers, these images are your passport to a spine-tingling adventure.
Bat
Bats are the quintessential symbol of Halloween. These photographs and images of fluttering bats will add that spooky touch to your video calls, backgrounds, posters… You can use them as home decor for Halloween too.
Halloween backgrounds
We have designed a lot of Halloween backgrounds just for you. Do you want some skeletons, witches, and other Halloween cartoons to adorn your wallpaper? Would you like some frightening backgrounds for your meetings? Are you planning a Halloween party? Get ideas here!
Halloween banners
Have a look at our Halloween Banners and keep your ghost costumes at hand! No matter if you want to promote your shop, offer discounts or advertise something related to this festivity. You’ll find plenty of designs, even if you want to throw a Halloween party!
Halloween flyers
Designing a flyer is as easy as it can be thanks to Freepik! Get designs and ideas for creating leaflets full of Halloween motifs: skeletons, spiders, zombies… Advertise your Halloween party, your restaurant or your service with these cool leaflets.
Halloween coloring pages
Embark on a thrilling adventure with this collection of spooktacular Halloween coloring pages. Dive into the eerie world of witches, ghosts, and monsters and bring these creepy creatures to life with your pencils.
Symbols
Pumpkin
Ghost
Black Cat
Candy
Carving pumpkins to create a jack-o’-lantern is the most typical Halloween image. Have you ever thought about its origins? Some scholars trace jack-o’-lanterns back to Irish folklore, particularly the story of "Stingy Jack," a doomed drunkard who roamed the earth carrying a carved-out turnip that he used as a lamp. The name "jack-o’-lantern" is also connected to the English folklore tale of the will-o’-the-wisp, a ghost that likes to mislead travelers. The tradition of carving pumpkins as we know it today developed in the United States when Irish immigrants brought the custom of carving vegetables with scary faces to drive evil spirits away. Halloween symbolism runs deep in this tradition, symbolizing the age-old battle between light and darkness, good and evil, as we ward off malevolent forces. But have you ever heard of the purple jack-o’-lantern? In many communities, a purple jack-o’-lantern signifies support for epilepsy awareness. It’s a powerful way to raise awareness about this condition during the Halloween season. Additionally, if you see a purple candy bucket while trick-or-treating, it’s a sign that the child carrying it may have epilepsy. This is a thoughtful way to accommodate and support children with special needs during their Halloween adventures.
Ghosts are a big part of Halloween paraphernalia. It’s not unusual to see drawings of ghosts or kids dressed up as one using sheets, but why are they so important on this day? Halloween is deeply connected to the Celtic tradition of Samhain. During this particular period of the year, it was believed that portals to the Otherworld opened, allowing ghosts to roam the Earth. With the Christianization of this celebration, during All Saints’ Day, it's said the souls of the dead walk among us. Halloween can be seen as a connection between the dead and the living, so we find depictions of ghosts, (evil) spirits, ghouls, and phantoms everywhere to commemorate this day.
Have you ever heard the superstition that black cats are tied to witches? In the past, people believed witches could transform into their familiars—often black cats—to carry out evil deeds. If a black cat crossed your path, it was seen as a bad omen, a sign that a witch had sent her familiar to bring misfortune. This belief dates back to the Middle Ages when black cats were linked to Satan, and during the Salem witch trials, Puritans viewed them as evil. Many were killed alongside their owners. Today, black cats remain a key part of Halloween, enhancing its spooky atmosphere.
Handing out candy to kids is a beloved Halloween tradition. This sweet ritual became widespread in the United States by the 1950s, after World War II, when sugar rationing ended. Before candy became the standard, pranks were common, but parents wanted a more peaceful activity for kids. Candy companies seized the opportunity, promoting their products as the ideal Halloween treat. By the mid-20th century, candy had firmly replaced tricks, giving children sweet rewards and boosting sales.
Purple and violet have been royal colors since 1200 BCE thanks to Phoenicians, who discovered the Tyrian purple–a very prized hue. This dye was expensive and difficult to get, so it became a rare luxury and a symbol of wealth. Violet is important from a materialistic point of view, but it also holds deep spiritual meaning. It is the color of the third-eye chakra, so it stands for wisdom. Violet is also tied to intuition, magic, healing, and the unknown. In tarot, it’s associated with the Moon card, symbolizing hidden truths and confronting fears. When we think about Samhain colors, Blue Violet takes on a unique role. Samhain, the Celtic festival marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, is often associated with colors like orange, black, and deep red. However, Blue Violet’s mystical qualities add depth to Samhain's spiritual and magical elements. This color adds to the mysterious and magical atmosphere of Halloween, linking themes of the cosmos, the ancient traditions of Samhain, and practices like tarot and fortune-telling. It embodies the mystical energy that defines this time of year.
Some may think that Halloween (All Hallows’ Eve or All Saints' Eve) is a modern tradition, but that’s not true! Did you know that Halloween's origins go back to ancient Gaelic Ireland? Halloween began with Samhain, a pagan festival marking the end of the harvest season. The traditions of this day continued to evolve during the Middle Ages, though costumes weren’t introduced until later. Today, we will learn about one of the most spooky days of the year.
The ancient roots of Halloween
There was an ancient Gaelic Irish festival known as Samhain, celebrated on October 31st and November 1st to mark the end of the harvest season. According to Irish mythology and lore, burial mounds were considered portals to the Otherworld and were believed to open during this festival. This tradition has survived for centuries, and even during the modern era, people make offerings to the spirits, and kids wear costumes in exchange for food. Though Samhain originated later, it may have inherited elements from older spiritual practices, as some Neolithic tombs in Ireland are aligned with sunrise during key points of the year, suggesting a long-standing reverence for the dead and natural cycles.
The influence of Popes Gregory III and Gregory IV and the establishment of All Saints’ Day
As Christianity spread into regions with pagan roots, traditions from Samhain began to blend with Christian practices. Initially, All Saints’ Day was celebrated on May 13th, but in the 8th century, Pope Gregory III moved it to November 1st, likely to align with festivals like Samhain. While Samhain centered on spirits and the dead, All Saints' Day shifted the focus to honoring saints and martyrs. In the 9th century, Pope Gregory IV broadened the celebration, and by the 12th century, it had become a holy day of obligation.
Souling and mumming
Trick-or-treating today may be all about costumes and candy, but it actually traces back to the medieval custom of souling. The less fortunate would go door to door, offering prayers for the souls of the dead in exchange for food. Around the same time, mumming—where people dressed in costume and performed for treats—was another common practice. While these traditions were separate, both influenced what we now recognize as Halloween festivities.
A 16th-century tradition that gained popularity in the 1940s and 50s
Dressing up on Halloween isn’t something new. This tradition was already common in Scotland, Britain, and Ireland by the 16th century. Kids would dress as ghosts, ghouls, or evil spirits and go door to door, singing or performing in exchange for treats. Costumes were thought to protect people from wandering evil spirits and ghosts. Over the centuries, guising became more widespread, especially in the U.S. during the 1940s and 50s. In fact, in 1950, UNICEF held its first Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF campaign to collect donations during Halloween.
To trace the origins of Halloween, we look to Ireland, where scholars believe Halloween and Samhain first began. Over time, this tradition spread to other countries, including the USA, where it has become a major celebration. However, there are other nations that have just begun celebrating the spookiest night of the year. Today, let's learn a bit about the different Halloween traditions from around the World. Let's go!
Thanks to TV shows and movies, many of us are already familiar with most Halloween traditions in the United States! Carving pumpkins is one of the most recognizable activities. Americans love creating jack-o’-lantern designs—from funny faces to spooky ones and even detailed carvings like landscapes or famous characters. Trick-or-treating is another major tradition. Kids dress up as ghosts, witches, superheroes, cartoon characters, and more, going door to door asking for candy. While handing out treats can prevent some pranks, minor acts of mischief like egging or smashing pumpkins are more tied to the overall atmosphere of Halloween and the anonymity provided by costumes rather than whether you give out candy. Halloween parties are common for both children and adults, with costumes ranging from spooky to creative and fun. Americans also love decorating their homes, with some going all out with elaborate setups featuring bats, zombies, gravestones, skeletons, and more, while others opt for simpler displays like spider webs and ghosts.
A very scary Halloween in Italy: visiting the darkest places in Rome. The main traditions during this time of year are Ognissanti (November 1st) and Giorno dei Morti (November 2nd). On these days, families visit cemeteries to clean and decorate their relatives’ tombs with flowers. However, because of American and Irish influences, Halloween is becoming increasingly popular in Italy. Kids love dolcetto-scherzetto (trick-or-treating) and dressing up. But dressing up is not only for children! There are also parties for adults, such as the one at Devil’s Bridge in Borgo a Mozzano, which is said to be the first and biggest Halloween celebration in Italy. Looking for other spooky activities? If you are in Rome on October 31st, go and pay a visit to the Cripta dei Cappuccini, a crypt decorated with the bones of over 4000 friars, spooky! But this is not the only frightening place you can visit. Explore Rome’s catacombs, see the gory frescoes at Santo Stefano Rotondo, or check out the Museo delle Anime del Purgatorio. It’s extremely creepy!
The origins of a Celtic tradition, Halloween. Halloween traces its roots to Samhain, an Irish festival that started centuries ago. Naturally, Halloween is very important in Ireland! Trick-or-treating is an essential activity during this spooky day, and kids get a lot of candy, chocolate, and other treats. Needless to say, you’ll also find terrifying (or funny!) jack-o’-lanterns. People dress up, go to parties, and decorate their homes with ghouls, ghosts, witches, black cats… In Derry, Northern Ireland, there is a great tradition, the Banks of the Foyle Halloween Carnival. And what do the Irish do to enjoy this festivity? They dress up in costumes like witches, skeletons, and zombies and enjoy live music and dancing. The celebration concludes with an impressive fireworks display. In Dublin, the focus is on honoring Samhain with an impressive parade, bringing ancient traditions into the modern celebration.
In Spain, there are three important days associated with Halloween-like traditions: Día de las Brujas (October 31st), Día de Todos los Santos (November 1st), and Día de los Muertos (November 2nd). Depending on the autonomous community, people follow different traditions. In Galicia, the festivities have a Celtic twist due to its Celtic history. The celebration known as Noite dos Calacús (Night of the Pumpkins) features parties, costumes, and jack-o’-lanterns. People also drink queimada while reciting the esconxuro spell. In Barcelona (Catalonia), All Saints’ Day is marked by eating chestnuts, panellets, drinking wine, visiting cemeteries like Montjuïc, or attending the Witch Festival in Sant Feliu Sasserra. In Cádiz, the Fiesta de Tosantos or Fiesta de los Mercados includes street performances, live music, and humorous displays that poke fun at politics, social events, and trending topics.
Canada is full of social celebrations during Halloween! There are not many differences between Halloween traditions in the United States and Canada, but let’s take a closer look at Canada's celebration. Naturally, kids go trick-or-treating to collect candy, chocolate bars, and even maple cream cookies in Canada! You’ll also find plenty of Halloween parties, spooky costumes, and a love for horror movies about witches, zombies, and other undead creatures. Carving pumpkins is very important for Canadians, too, as there are numerous contests to choose the best-carved pumpkin—create an innovative design and win a prize! In the same fashion, dressing up is top entertainment–even if you want to dress up as a zombie hockey player.
Catrinas, songs, and Noche de Brujas: different ways of celebrating Halloween in Latin America. As in many other parts of the world, Halloween is growing quickly, but the way of celebrating it depends on the country. Peru, Argentina, Chile, Panama, Mexico, and Colombia often follow traditions similar to the United States: carving pumpkins, jack-o’-lanterns, costumes, parties, and trick-or-treating being common. Yet, Halloween is usually referred to as Noche de Brujas (Night of the Witches). Nevertheless, each country adds its own touch to it! In Peru, Halloween shares the day with Día de la Canción Criolla on October 31st, a celebration of Creole music and life. Mexico celebrates Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) more prominently than Halloween, with graveyard visits, altars, and tributes to the deceased, including food, music, and catrinas (skull figures). Colombia has a sweet tradition on November 1st, where children in Cartagena de Indias sing the song “Ángeles somos” and receive coins in return, based on the belief that children are angels.
Halloween in Japan: cosplay, skeletons, and more! The “Halloween fever” began in Japan thanks to Tokyo Disneyland. They hosted the very first Halloween festival in 2000, and since then, the popularity of Halloween has increased every year. The Japanese version of this festival doesn’t really copy the American pattern; rather, it suits Japanese traditions. There is no trick-or-treating, but they merge the typical costumes of ghosts, witches, and skeletons with cosplay. One good example of this is the Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Festival in Tokyo. In addition to Tokyo, cities like Osaka and Kanagawa also host major Halloween events. You’ll find plenty of street parties, parades, live music performances, costume contests, and many other activities. Theme parks are another popular option if you want to have a frightening Halloween night with thrilling events and attractions.
