Despite Covid, Halloween can be spooktastic

Glossary

Jack-o'-lanterns - The tradition of putting candles in hollowed-out vegetables began in Ireland with turnips. The name comes from a natural phenomenon called ignis fatuus (Latin for "giddy flame") where gas and water vapour create strange ghostly lights above a bog or marsh.

Curfew - Governor Vincenzo De Luca has banned Italians in the region around Naples from going out after 10pm. De Luca is known for his colourful outbursts on social media, bemoaning the "irresponsible" behaviour of young Neapolitans flouting social distancing rules.

Commercialised - When an organisation or event is exploited to maximise profits, often at the expense of its fans.

Satan worship - Despite Halloween's association with American culture, polling shows that a third of Americans avoid Halloween and 14% avoid its pagan elements. Many Christians celebrate "light parties" as an alternative to Halloween.

Samhain - Pronounced "Sowan", this Celtic festival marked the transition from the warmer half of the year into the winter months. It is still observed today by neopagans and Wiccans.

Hallowstide - In the 8th century AD, Pope Gregory III moved All Saints' Day from 13 May to 1 November, where it coincided with Samhein and pagan rituals surrounding remembering the dead.

Catholic countries - In Mexico, the Day of the Dead (Dia de Muertos) is an important national holiday, when families visit and decorate their relatives' tombs. Other Latin American countries also observe the festival, often incorporating indigenous traditions and beliefs.

Germany - One of Europe's largest countries, with a popultion of nearly 86 million.

Japan - An island country in East Asia, with a population of nearly 126 million.