Halloween is a party that is celebrated every year on October 31, the night before All Saints’ Day. It is a night when the streets are filled with costumes, pumpkins, candy and scares. There are many ways to celebrate it, but the best is to do it with non-alcoholic drinks . Have an alcohol-free Halloween to fully enjoy the most terrifying and fun night of the year. But this celebration was not always as we know it today.
How to celebrate Halloween with alcohol-free drinks
If you want to celebrate Halloween without giving up the taste and fun of alcoholic drinks, we propose some alcohol-free options that you can find at The Blue Dolphin Store, the online store leader in premium alcohol-free drinks.
- If you like beers, you can choose from a wide variety of brands and styles, from blondes to blacks, through IPA or toasted. All of them with an authentic taste and gluten-free. Some of the most popular are Guinness 0.0, an Irish black beer with body and toasted malt flavor, or Big Drop Reef Point Craft Lager, a refreshing and light blonde beer with citrus and floral notes.
- If you prefer wines, you also have options for all tastes, from reds to whites, through rosés or sparkling wines. All of them made with quality grapes and without alcohol. Some of the most outstanding are Oddbird, a range of Swedish wines with an innovative design and a fruity and balanced flavor, or Natureo, a range of Spanish wines with a smooth and aromatic flavor.
- If yours are alcohol-free spirits, do not miss the alcohol-free alternatives to gin, rum or vodka. All of them with an intense and sophisticated flavor, ideal for preparing alcohol-free cocktails. Some of the most recommended are Seedlip, an alcohol-free gin with botanical and spicy notes, or Lyre’s, an Australian brand that offers alcohol-free replicas of the most famous spirits.
The origin of Halloween
According to Oxford University, Halloween has its origin in an ancient Celtic tradition called samhain, which means “end of summer”. The Celts celebrated the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter, a dark and cold time. They also believed that that night the door between the world of the living and the dead was opened, and that spirits could wander the earth. To scare them away, they lit bonfires and dressed up with animal skins.
When the Romans conquered the Celtic lands, they incorporated some of their customs to their own parties, such as Pomona, the goddess of fruits and trees. Later, with the arrival of Christianity, they tried to replace samhain with All Saints’ Day, a date dedicated to honoring the martyrs and saints of the Church. However, the pagan tradition remained alive among the people.
The name of Halloween comes from the English expression “All Hallows’ Eve” or “eve of All Saints”. It was in the 19th century when Irish immigrants brought this party to the United States, where it became popular and mixed with other cultural influences. Thus some of the most known symbols of Halloween were born, such as pumpkins carved with terrifying faces or the famous “trick or treat”.
Where Halloween is celebrated
Today, Halloween is a global party that is celebrated in many countries of the world, although with different names and traditions. For example:
- In the United States and Canada, it is one of the most important parties of the year. Children dress up and go from house to house asking for candy with the phrase “trick or treat”. They also decorate houses with terrifying motifs and organize parties and costume contests.
- In Mexico and other Latin American countries, they celebrate the Day of the Dead, a party that combines pre-Hispanic and Christian elements. They believe that the deceased return to visit their relatives and friends, and they offer them food, flowers, candles and personal objects in altars called offerings. They also make sugar skulls and breads of death.
- In Spain, they celebrate All Saints’ Day, a religious party that remembers the deceased. They go to cemeteries to bring flowers and pray for souls. They also eat typical sweets such as bones of saint or wind fritters. In some regions, such as Catalonia or Galicia, they also celebrate pagan rites related to fire and pumpkins. If you are in Catalonia, don’t miss the panellets. They are small sweets made from almond and sweet potato with different flavors.
- In Ireland, they celebrate the Celtic origin of Halloween with a big party in Dublin called Samhain Festival. They light bonfires, make parades and shows, and eat traditional dishes such as barmbrack, a sweet bread with raisins and nuts that contains objects that predict the future.
Celebrating Halloween with alcohol-free drinks is possible and fun. You just have to choose the ones you like best and enjoy a night of terror and fun without a hangover. Happy Halloween!
