Halloween in the Czech Republic

Are you currently studying in the Czech Republic or considering visiting our country by the end of October? Then you might be interested in how we celebrate Halloween.

First things first, though. It has to be noted that Halloween isn’t traditionally Czech which implies that, unfortunately, it isn’t massively celebrated here. However, it doesn’t mean that Czech people don’t enjoy spooky stuff, pumpkins and eating candy. We just don’t send our children trick-or-treating in costumes.

Still, Halloween is becoming more and more popular among younger generations and it isn’t unusual to decorate classrooms with spooky décor, have a pumpkin carving workshop or a costume ball at school. And eat lots of Halloween-themed candy which can be found in shops throughout October.

For a bit older people, most universities organise Halloween parties. If you see an invitation to one, don’t hesitate and go. There’s a great chance that people will come in costumes and you can eat lots of delicious treats. You’ll have fun with your classmates and get to know students across faculties. Some cinemas even organise special horror nights so don’t miss that either!

The closest celebration to Halloween we Czechs have is All Soul’s Day. It’s celebrated on November 2 and it’s officially known as Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed. But every Czech native actually calls is Dušičky which literary means “little souls.” Even though it’s originally a liturgical tradition, it’s celebrated by almost everyone.

It’s nothing like merry and spooky Halloween, though. Around this date, whole families go to cemeteries in order to commemorate their deceased family members. It’s the time when relatives often visit each other to reminiscence. Cemeteries are very full around November 2 as everyone tries to nicely decorate graves of their dead relatives and light candles.

We highly recommend to enjoy both when you’re in the Czech Republic. Attend a Halloween party and if you have a Czech friend, you might try asking them to take you to the cemetery. Just be quiet and respectful. And do light a candle.