Celtic rituals
Legend has it that on the night of 31 October, the Celtic people called for the divine help of the dead. To keep the evil spirits at bay, they would wear masks, light fires and offer up pumpkins – symbols that we still see today. The Celts specifically chose 31 October because that day didn’t belong to summer or winter, which meant that the worlds of the living and the dead were at their closest. When the Romans invaded the British islands, they blended the Celtic rituals with their own traditions, including the celebration of the harvest.
Because Holland doesn’t have a Celtic heritage, Halloween parties here seem mainly to be driven by commercial efforts. Just like Valentine’s Day, Halloween appears to be another holiday that the retail and entertainment industries have snapped up. Several scholars stress that the Dutch merely see Halloween as just another opportunity to dress up and throw a (themed) party. It’s not likely that they are truly interested in the history behind it.
According to Irene Stengs, a researcher at the Meertens Institute who specialises in contemporary culture, the rise of Halloween fits in a trend that can be traced back to the 1950s. After World War II, the Dutch started to celebrate festivities more extensively, simply because they had more money to do so. For instance, a child’s birthday gradually became an important celebration with presents and a birthday cake. ‘Halloween is just a next step in that development,’ Stengs says.
She also emphasises that Halloween takes place in the same period as Sint Maarten, a Dutch festivity the night of which children pass through neighbourhoods to collect candy for their singing, similar to the ‘trick or treat’ tradition of Halloween.
Moreover, the Dutch already celebrate Allerheiligen (remembrance of the saints) on the 1st of November, and Allerzielen (remembrance of the dead) on the 2nd. ‘Because these holidays show similarities, it makes it easy to combine them,’ Stengs says. This could also be said of Halloween. Helsloot: ‘In our current, postmodern age, people are able to mix and match their personal festivity culture according to their own tastes.’
Gruesome outfits
Although the ‘hell-houses’, which are an important part of Halloween in the USA, have not yet arrived in Holland, traditional parades have increasingly started to pop up in several cities.
According to Rutger, one of the employees of Partyhouse on the Rozengracht, the popularity of Halloween has been given a real boost thanks to the annual ‘scary parade’ that first took place in Amsterdam five years ago, attracting up to fifteen thousand participants in 2014. The selection of what is said to be one of the biggest costume shops in Amsterdam has to be expanded annually to meet the demands of people looking for Halloween outfits. ‘Costumers go all out,' Rutger says.
Of the gadgets sold, most are fake blood and, of course, vampire’s teeth. Although Cat Woman and Alice in Wonderland’s Mad Hatter remain favourites, Rutger has already spotted some new creative ideas too. ‘The other day I sold a Snow White outfit to a girl who wanted to go as a zombie-styled version of the Disney princess. One man wanted to be Michael Jackson as he is now: dead. Which is quite gruesome if you think about it.’
On how Halloween will develop in Holland, we can only speculate. It might be a hype that slowly disappears, or it might end up becoming the biggest holiday of the year. Stengs: ‘Celebrations constantly change and are influenced by many factors. We never know beforehand how it’s going to work out. What we do see, however, in America and other countries around the world including Holland, is a growing culture of a fear of associated danger. For Halloween, a point could arrive where parents will fear their children being poisoned by candy they receive from strangers. Something that simple could suddenly turn all the joy around.’
Halloween events in Amsterdam
Tonight, the Amsterdam Halloween Parade & Party takes place. Starting on the Rokin at 8.30 PM, a procession of vampires, witches, scary clowns, zombies and monsters will glide their way through the centre of Amsterdam. There will be a party at Westergasterrein starring, amongst others, Kris Kross and Erick E & Roog. Dress code: immortal fame.
The rest of the weekend, there will be a festival by Amsterdam SPOOK, offering a nightly skating route, a Halloween dinner at Pata Negra, a horror movie marathon at Pathé Cinema and, one of the highlights, a Monster Bash party on in Panama.
