If you thought Halloween was just slutty costumes and Trump’s face carved into pumpkins then you'd only be half right…

No one can quite remember why we dress up like eejits and eat sweets til we duff but that’s not so bizarre when you consider how the rest of Europe does Halloween…

Love Halloween? Thank the pagans and their freaky Autumn festival Samhain 💀

This is where it all started. It was the time of year when the boundary between this world and the otherworld *insert mystical music* was more easily crossed... so people left out food for their dead family members who came knocking (howareya great-aunt Mary).

If you visit Ireland this time of year, be sure to try some of the weird foodie traditions like Colcannon (mashed spuds with kale and onion) and apple-on-a-string (as described).

This was also a good time of year to predict your future - with Barmbrack. The Halloween fruitcake is filled with miscellaneous everyday objects, the object you nearly choke on determines your future, Irish humour eh?

A bean (or piece of cloth) - you’ll have no luck with money
A matchstick - you’ll have an unhappy marriage
A coin - you’ll have good fortune
A ring - you’ll be married within the year
A pea - you won’t get married this year
A thimble - you’ll never marry

The Spanish don’t like to rush things… Halloween is no different. It’s a three day event of festivals, food and pumpkin carving 🎃

Things kick off on October 31st with Dia de las Brujas (Day of the Witches).

In Catalonia, they honor the lives of the women who were accused of being witches with mock trials and bonfires.

In Galicia they drink an alcoholic potion of clear spirits mixed with coffee and orange peel after reciting a couple of spells. Spooky.

Then it’s Dia de Todos los Santos (All Saints Day) on November 1st, where the parties and parades spill into the streets.

Things die down (literally) with Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) on November 2nd. They bring flowers and gifts to the dead, a bit like the Mexicans but minus the skulls.

In Slovakia and other parts of Central Europe, Halloween is known as All Saints Week and came from the ancient Slavic festival of Dziady where the dead visit the living 👹

People clean their houses (don’t want uncle Peter’s ghost to think you’re a slob), leave their doors open and drink cold milk to cool down those burning souls in purgatory…

Just in case the dead don’t make it to their houses, locals head to the graveyards with gifts for their dead loved ones.

This has led to a grave-robbing problem this time of year... Eesh!