HUNGARY TODAY - ALL SAINTS AND ALL SOULS DAY HUNGARIAN TRADITIONS
According to this article, Halloween is considered a foreign holiday in Hungary. This may be because of the Christian traditions of All Saints (November 1st) and then All Souls (November 2nd). Rather than Memorial Day in the United States for grave visiting and cleaning, Hungarians go to the cemetery on one or both of these days, not only cleaning the graves but leaving flowers, lighting candles, and sometimes cakes. Alternatively, a stay at home family might light one candle for each person who has died in the family.
This interesting article has some regional traditions given.
Excerpt: On the night between All Saints' Day and the Day of the Dead, it is said that the mass is held by the dead in the churches. On the Day of the Dead, the poor and beggars were entertained and got a feast from the wealthy, In the Gyimes Valley, they said, "We cook for the day of the dead, we bake loaves, we give them to the dead." There are places were food is also put on the graves, such as in Topolya, but they also give food to beggars...
