How Animals Around the World Experience Halloween Spirit

Halloween, celebrated annually on October 31, is a holiday widely known for its festive and spooky atmosphere. It brings together people of all ages to partake in costume parties, trick-or-treating, haunted houses, and a variety of other Halloween customs.
Sputnik
Halloween originated from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which signified the end of the harvest season and the start of winter. As time passed, it transformed into a holiday with an exceptional mix of traditions, assimilating features from diverse cultures and customs.
The holiday is an occasion to celebrate the supernatural, with an emphasis on ghosts, witches, and anything that evokes a sense of eeriness.
Although modern-day people may not wear costumes specifically to ward off evil spirits, as the Celts did, they have developed their own customs, such as watching horror movies, decorating homes, and participating in costume contests. The holiday allows people to express their creativity, wear fun or scary costumes, and enjoy tasty treats.
However, humans are not the only ones to celebrate the holiday. Animals and pets from over the globe also have the chance to join in on Halloween fun. For example, the annual Doggone Halloween celebration in Boston is designed to get people in the spooky spirit alongside their four-legged companions. It’s no secret that dogs absolutely rock costumes.
During the event, Halloween enthusiasts showcased their beloved canines, while a panel of judges awarded prizes in categories like the scariest or cutest costume.
Not only pets, but also zoo animals celebrate Halloween by smashing and eating pumpkins, a symbol of the holiday. Zoo visitors across the world can now witness hippos, capybaras, elephants, and other animals playing with pumpkins and having fun.
Check out Sputnik's gallery of Halloween enthusiasts and charming animals celebrating the most spooktacular and creative holiday of the year!
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Capybaras and ring-tailed lemurs feeding on pumpkins made at the Carved Pumpkin competition at the Novosibirsk Zoo, Russia.

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People and their dogs participate in a Doggone Halloween celebration in Boston, Massachusetts, on October 28, 2023 ahead of the Halloween holiday.

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Participants of the Doggone Halloween celebration in Boston, Massachusetts.

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A turtle eats fruit from a pumpkin at the Cali Zoo during Halloween celebrations in Cali, Colombia on October 25, 2023.

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An Asian elephant gets a pumpkin attached to a tree as part of the upcoming Halloween festivities, at the Prague Zoo, in Czech Republic, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023.

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Amur tiger Max feeding on pumpkins made at the Carved Pumpkin competition at the Novosibirsk Zoo.

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People and their dogs participate in a Doggone Halloween celebration in Boston, Massachusetts, on October 28, 2023 ahead of the Halloween holiday.

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A dog dressed as a wizard takes part in the Doggone Halloween celebration in Boston, Massachusetts.

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An ostrich stands next to a pumpkin at the Cali Zoo during Halloween celebrations in Cali, Colombia on October 25, 2023.

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People and their dogs participate in the Doggone Halloween celebration in Boston, Massachusetts.