The feast of Halloween in El Salvador is celebrated with a lesser intensity than in other countries since it is considered a foreign character Festival that has no roots in our country.
The celebration of Halloween goes back to the 7th and 6th centuries BC. At that time, to the North and West of Europe lived the Celts. They celebrated the new year on 1 November and the previous night, celebrated on 31 October, to “Shamhain”, the God of death. They believed that souls returning more back in those days and so they dressed in elaborate costumes of heads and skins of animals performing human sacrifices, and with large bonfires rose prayers to their pagan gods. In the middle of the 18th century, after Christ, English and Irish immigrants who came to the United States brought with them the tradition of celebrating the day of the witches. Halloween comes from the English words “All hallow’s eve”, which means all Saints Eve.
In El Salvador the holiday began in the mid-20th century. In some neighborhoods, it was held with bankruptcy of Piñatas. The most common Halloween in El Salvador was to observe children dressed up as the night playing the door of their neighbors to ask for candy and treats. This little survives, because it is one of the activities which have been overshadowing recent years.
Halloween in El Salvador is mostly used for advertising purposes. Stores make promotions, local television channels are horror movies and cartoons related to the holiday. Those who obtain more profits are businesses that sell or rent costumes. Some clubs do dances where is awarded to the best costume of the night.
Some religions regard it as a dark celebration. The Catholic religion in El Salvador disapproves it by considering it a pagan celebration, a celebration that has nothing to do with Christianity.
It is to say that Halloween in El Salvador does not have the same meaning as that had long ago to the Celts, before Christianity. For them, it marked the end of the year and also a meeting between the living and the souls of the dead.
What is celebrated in El Salvador is the Saint’s day and the day of the deceased, which were possibly established celebrations to try to disappear from Halloween. 1 November in El Salvador is celebrated the feast of all saints to commemorate those who have died in friendship with God. November 2 is held at all souls to remember loved ones that have passed to better life.
