Difference between halloween and day of the dead?

What is the difference between Day of the Dead and Halloween?

• Answer:

  The Day of the Dead is an Indo-Hispanic custom that you will encounter if you are in Mexico at a certain time of the year. The Day of the Dead celebration starts exactly at midnight on October 31.The DifferenceUnlike Halloween, which features images of terror such as ghosts, witches and skeletons, the Day of the Dead is a celebration of respect for ancestors and a demonstration of love among family members. The Day of the Dead is considered a positive concept, not negative.SpanishDia le los Muertos is the Spanish way of saying Day of the Dead. It is believed that the spirits of the dead return to the mortal world for two days to visit their loved ones. The spirits are welcomed with lights that guide them to their homes, food and candies decorated like skulls. Entire families gather at the cemetery, decorate the gravestones and wait in anticipation of paying respect to the deceased, whom they believe will return.CatholicismThe Roman Catholic Church recognizes November 1 as All Saints' Day. November 2 is All Souls' Day, during which time the souls of baptized Catholics, who are thought to be in purgatory, are prayed for. These celebrations mix with native practices, such as Day of the Dead. The souls of children are honored on November 1, while the souls of adults return home on November 2, according to Itcconline.net.HalloweenOn the other hand, Halloween, which is celebrated on October 31, is a pagan festival. It is believed that the dead will roam the earth and haunt their former homes. Demons and witches are thought to wander the world on this scary night. The word Halloween comes from All Hallows Eve, which occurs on November 1, which is also All Saints' Day.Celtic CalendarOctober 31 was the end of the Celtic year and it was believed by the Celts that the laws of time and space were briefly suspended on that day, allowing the dead and the living to mingle. The Celts would extinguish the fires in their homes so that it would be cold inside and uninviting to spirits in an effort to avoiding being haunted. Costumes were worn to scare away the spirits.Source:http://www.peoplesguide.com/1pages/chapts/viva/dodead/1dodindex.htmlhttp://www.mexonline.com/dayofthedead.htmhttp://www.ltcconline.net/barclay/courses/DOD_101/dead_history_101.htmMore Information:http://www.psychics.co.uk/define/halloween.html