Traditions in Austria and the U.S. can be very different, but we celebrate some of the same holidays in both countries. For example, in Austria they also celebrate Halloween. How do you celebrate Halloween at home and at Mulberry School? In Austria the traditions for Halloween are very different than in the US. In Austria, kids don't trick-or-treat, dress up or eat lots of candy. Instead people celebrate Allerseelen, which means All Souls Day. This is a day to think about loved ones that have passed away. People often visit the cemetery and light candles on Allerseelen.
A tradition that is the same in Austria and the U.S. is birthdays. In Austria, kids also have birthday parties with presents and a cake with candles. How do you celebrate your birthday?
This week I learned about Nationalfeiertag, which means National Day. This is a day to celebrate the country of Austria. Can you think of a holiday in the U.S. when we celebrate our country and wave lots of American flags?
Did you guess Independence Day, or the Fourth of July? That's right! National Day is sort of like Independence Day. Instead of being in July, Austria celebrates National Day on October 26th.
