The Ohio leaves are falling and the world’s fall celebrations kick into high gear.
However, the U.S. isn’t the only country partaking in celebrations as the leaves start to turn.
In Germany, Halloween has just begun to become bigger over the last few years, according to student and Düsseldorf, Germany, native Lavinia Haane.
“Really all we know about it is what we see in the movies like ‘Means Girls.’ The girls dress slutty and the boys like it and there are lots of parties,” she said.
Koblenz, Germany, native Torben Schmitz said the holiday is not celebrated on a large scale and is mainly for children. Only a few people participate in it.
“(We) dress up, walk around houses asking for sweets or playing tricks on the people who don’t give sweets,” he said.
Mengyun Zhao said that people in China know about the mostly American holiday, but don’t typically celebrate it.
She said that some high school students dress up and celebrate alone, but only a few.
While Schmitz said he has dressed up as a woman for Halloween, Zhao said she chose the easier and cheaper route by dressing up as a mummy.
Haane said the main holiday celebrated in Germany is called Karneval, during which there are parades and costume-clad people celebrating in the streets.
While Halloween takes place on the last day of October, Karneval begins on Nov. 11 at 11:11 a.m. each year.
Haane said that teachers don’t like to teach on this day during this time period because students run out of their seats, dance in the hallways and play loud music.
“One time my teacher locked us in the classroom because he didn’t want us to leave, but we slammed our books on the desks so loud he let us go,” she said.
The festival ends in February on Ash Wednesday, Schmitz said.
“The deeper meaning (of Karneval) is to get rid of negative ghosts and get rid of the winter and celebrate spring,” Schmitz said. “So there is no real meaning behind (it). Just get dressed up, play tricks or get sweets, or if you’re older, get drunk and party.”
Karneval is also sometimes referred to as “the crazy days,” according to the Festival Committee of the Cologne Carnival of 1823’s website.
Schmitz said that the biggest celebration of Karneval takes place in Cologne, Germany.
