THE HUNGARIAN DAY OF THE DEAD
The spooky season is upon us. The streets transform into a tapestry of Halloween enchantment, and Jack-o’-lanterns line the porches, their carved grins flickering in orange light. Plastic skeletons sway from tree branches. The air is thick with the scent of sweet candy and the aroma of fallen leaves. The towns come alive with excited trick-or-treaters.
It’s the best time of the year to be a horror fan. I love Halloween, and we are celebrating it here in the UK, but, as you know, I’m originally from Hungary. Over there, Halloween is not traditionally celebrated. We have instead ‘Halottak napja’ or ‘Mindenszentek’ best translated as The Day of the Dead or All Saint’s Day, respectively. Families visit cemeteries to clean the graves of their deceased loved ones and to decorate with flowers and wreaths. We light candles at graves and in windows at home to remember the deceased and guide their spirits. Imagine the cemetery when thousands of candles are lit at once. The atmosphere is sombre and melancholic but beautiful and awe-inspiring at the same time. People stand in front of the gravestones and quietly reflect for a few minutes in the middle of this spectacle. The picture below shows you a glimpse of what it is like, of course, not fully representing the live experience.
Chrysanthemums are strongly associated with the Day of the Dead and are commonly placed on graves. The main day is the 1st of November, but we start visiting cemeteries on the 31st of October and continue through the 2nd of November to avoid congestion. Some extremely traditional people set the dinner table with an extra serving for deceased relatives and place candles around the house so the dead can take one more look around the family home. We have never done this in my family. That sounds a bit morbid even to me, but I usually partake in the quiet introspection and remembrance. It’s not as fun as Halloween, but beautiful in a very different way.
There you go. A little information about the Hungarian Day of the Dead you didn’t know you needed. I just wanted to share this little piece with you as not many people know about our traditions.
As always, I appreciate you being here and reading my books. I wish you all a chilling Halloween and an atmospheric Day of the Dead. Take care of yourselves and your families, and don’t forget to keep the chalice raised.
