Halloween celebrations are much smaller in the UK compared to what Americans grow up with in the United States. This can be a surprise for American expats used to 12 foot skeletons and tons of trick or treaters. While things are different and quite a bit smaller scale here, you can still find Halloween fun in the UK with the right attitude.
What’s Different?
From what to wear to how you decorate and celebrate, there’s actually a lot that doesn’t look the same here.
Halloween Costumes
When my daughter was four, we were invited to a small Halloween party at a friend’s house. She excitedly got dressed in the fancy Merida from Brave costume gifted by my mother-in-law, only to be asked by every kid at the party why she dressed in that. You see, the idea of dressing up for Halloween here often sticks to scary dress-up. Dressing up as a Disney princess was confusing to all of the tiny zombies and ghouls around my daughter. Seven years later and I still haven’t seen the sweet or funny costumes making much of an appearance on trick or treaters.
Fancy dress parties aren’t that uncommon in the UK, so I don’t think that Halloween has the same build up for costume planning that it does in the US.
Halloween Decorations
If you were walking through my neighborhood in West Sussex, you’d probably see Halloween decorations on maybe one house out of every five. You definitely won’t see giant decorations or the homemade haunted houses that were common back in Southern California. One practical reason for this probably relates to the average house size in the United Kingdom being significantly smaller than in the United States. Who has room to store all that stuff?
Halloween decorations do serve a very important purpose on Halloween if your kid is wanting to trick or treat. They’re essentially signposts for houses that are open to receiving trick or treaters and will have candy on hand. If you go door-to-door at every house, you are going to be disappointed. Again, it’s just not a holiday that everyone gets into so don’t expect everyone around you to participate.
Sweet Treats
Candy corn is a pretty divisive treat, but it’s weird to just not see it at all. Halloween candy in the UK is unsurprisingly made up of the same candies you normally find in the UK. Expect small packs of Maltesers and Dairy Buttons. What is strange for Americans is that there really isn’t any special Halloween candy. In the US, we were really used to seeing special shapes or spooky themed candies for Halloween. You can find a bit of that here, but mostly it’s the same sweets in the same packaging you’d find any other time of year.
Why Are Halloween Celebrations Smaller?
I assumed in my American ignorance that Halloween originated in this part of the world, so it must be a big deal here. I’d heard of the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, tales of pagan traditions for dressing up to ward away evil spirits, and general beliefs of being closer to the spirit world this time of year. There’s hints of truth in there, but not the whole story.
Halloween History
Hallows Eve or Halloween has its roots in pagan festivals, particularly Samhain. Celts believed that spirits would visit on this day in late October and would light bonfires to ward off ghosts. In the 8th century Pope Gregory III attempted to rebrand this holiday into the Catholic faith, eventually creating All Saints Day. Trick or treating likely has its roots in All Souls Day parades in England, when soul cakes were shared with poor people in exchange for promises to pray for the giver’s dead family members.
Americans owe much of modern Halloween traditions to Irish immigrants who brought their traditions over when they immigrated. Those traditions eventually got the American treatment of being turned up to 11. (I refer you back to those giant skeleton decorations). Ironically, the British often see Halloween as an American holiday thanks to American TV and movie influences. Pumpkin carving is actually an American invention. If you’re following your Halloween history back to its origins, you’re better off carving a turnip.
Guy Fawkes Night
Another reason that Halloween gets smaller treatment here is because it falls very close to another night of mischief holiday. Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Bonfire Night or Fireworks Night, commemorates a 1605 failed attempt to blow up Parliament. This holiday falls on November 5, less than a week after Halloween. Guy Fawkes Night tends to bring mischief, fire and explosives and can get a bit rowdy at some celebrations. People who aren’t a fan of this behavior are even less likely to embrace adding another night of mischief to the holiday calendar.
No Halloween Holiday
Finally, Halloween isn’t a public holiday in the UK. With no day off for the revelry, Brits have been less inclined to go all out in celebration.
Where To Find Modern Halloween Celebrations In the UK
So you want to find Halloween fun in your UK neighborhood or bake some spooky season into your next UK trip? Even with the actual day celebrating at a smaller scale, you’ll find plenty of options. Here are some ideas to please everyone starting from little goblins up to hardened thrill-seekers.
Community Events
Starting with a general tip. If you want to find a Halloween themed event for little kids, start with local shopping areas and community spaces. These spaces often host Halloween events and treat trails on the weekend closest to Halloween. It’s usually not on the day, but can be a fun way to guarantee some treats and gentle scares.
Pumpkin Patches
These family friendly events are also an easy to find day out. Venturing out of the cities can also find pick your own pumpkin fields to bring on all the Autumn feels. I’m planning a trip to either Tulley’s Farm or Rogate Pumpkin Patch myself. Might just visit both!
If you need help finding a pumpkin patch near you in the UK, check out this helpful BBC article. Don’t forget your wellies and charge your phone to take pictures!
Ghost Tours
There’s nothing quite as spooky as ghost stories, and the UK is full of them. From notoriously haunted spots to ghostly walks and bus tours, you can find the right scare level on a ghost tour. Here’s a few ideas for what you can try:
Tour notoriously haunted Bodmin Jail in Cornwall
Learn about Edinburgh’s haunted past on a ghost tour in Greyfriar’s Kirkyard and Edinburgh Vaults
Take a comedy horror tour aboard the Ghost Bus in London
Take a Jack the Ripper Walk to follow in the steps of the world’s most famous serial killer
Scary Attractions at Theme Parks
Looking to appeal even more to the scare seekers in your group? Alton Towers amps up the spookiness at its annual Scarefest. There are tame parts for small children, but the main draws here are the haunted mazes and dark thrill rides. For an American comparison, think Six Flags Fright Fest or Knott’s Scary Farm. You’ll find Alton Towers in Stoke-on-Trent, about midway between Manchester and Birmingham.
Thorpe Park offers similar thrills at its annual Fright Nights. Their thrill rides in the dark include an attraction themed after the SAW horror movie franchise, so plenty here to give you nightmares. Thorpe Park is located Southwest of London in Chertsey.
Warwick Castle
Lots of castles in the UK have added entertainment elements over the years, but none have leaned into it quite so much as Warwick Castle. The castle turns extra spooky in October and hosts a special Castle After Dark event on select evenings. The event includes scary attractions, but is also part spooky festival. Expect live music, street food and craft beverages to build up your bravery. Warwick Castle is an easy trip addition if you’re headed to the Cotswolds.
Tourist Dungeons
Edinburgh and London both offer dungeon-themed attractions for those who love thrills and gruesome tales. Open year-round, not just for Halloween, these tourist attractions lean heavily on all the creepy torture and ghost stories they can find. There are rides and shows inside, with plenty of audience participation.
Both offer special Halloween events each year if the regular attractions haven’t already taken you to your creeped-out max.
Yorkshire Scare Grounds
For scares that are decidedly not kid-friendly, head to the Yorkshire Scare Grounds. This will be the most similar for Americans missing the big haunted house productions that are just for tricks, no treats. It is set on 24 acres, so you can spend a lot of time screaming here. Expect scary mazes, attractions, and lots of roaming actors bent on frightening you. Not recommended for kids under 12 or anyone who doesn’t like to be scared.
Holding On To Your American Halloween Love?
This time of year can be hard for Americans living in the UK as no college football, earlier sunsets at the beginning of winter, and smaller Halloween displays make the difference between our countries even more obvious. However, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy spooky season in the UK. And if you want to go big with your home’s Halloween decorations, go for it! Just let me know where you wind up storing that skeleton.
Looking for seasonal ideas for after Halloween? Check out the Top Reasons You Should Visit Edinburgh in December.
