Fall feels different everywhere. The air cools, leaves change, and people gather in their own ways to celebrate the season. In the United States, Halloween fills the streets with costumes and candy, but in other countries, fall comes in different ways. Families in Mexico, South Korea, and Vietnam use this time to honor their ancestors, express gratitude, and spend quality time together.
In Mexico, families prepare for Dia de los Muertos on November 1 and 2. Homes are filled with marigolds, candles, and photos of loved ones. People build Ofrendas to honor relatives who have passed away. Many favorite foods decorate the altars to remind the lost spirits of home. “It’s not a time of just dressing up for candy,” said Justin Chavez, a high school student with a family from Guadalajara. “It’s a time to remember the people we love and celebrate their lives.” He describes many parades with music, painted skull faces, and giant puppets in his hometown. “Our whole family goes out to see the celebration, then later we go to the cemetery to prepare the altars.”
South Korea marks the fall harvest with Chuseok. The holiday lasts three days and brings people back to their hometowns. Families prepare rice cakes called songpeyon and set tables with seasonal fruit. Many people visit graves, spend time with their elders, and share large meals with their family. “My favorite part when I was in Korea was making the songpeyon together,” said Nayoung Kim, who spent her childhood in South Korea. “We fill rice cakes and shape them into different flowers and plants resembling Korean agriculture.” She also describes people wearing Hanbok, playing folk games, and watching dance performances. She says that “the holiday is really just an important time to celebrate with family and be grateful for the food farmers make.”
Vietnam celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival in the Fall. Children carry lanterns shaped like stars, rabbits, and fish. Bakeries sell mooncakes with fillings of red bean or lotus seed. Neighborhoods hold small parades after dark, with children coming out holding lanterns, celebrating, and watching the lion dances. Matthew Bui said the festival has always been about light and bonding for his family. “We made paper lanterns and chased our friends,” he said. “It’s joyful, and it brings the whole community together. He explains that the celebration honors the harvest moon and children who receive many gifts and candy.
In Cambodia, families celebrate Pchum Ben, a 15-day festival to honor their ancestors. It usually begins in late September. People wake up during sunrise and bring rice or fruit to the temple. Minks pray for the spirits of deceased relatives. Families believe this brings peace to both the living and the dead.“It’s about respect and kindness,” says Donovan Lee, a student from Cambodia. “Even if families can’t come together to take the time to remember and be thankful.” The festival mixes faith, family, and generosity to celebrate their ancestors and elders.
These fall traditions look different from American Halloween. Dia de los Muertos centers on memory and welcomes the past into the present. Chuseok centers on gratitude and family ties. The Mid-Autumn Festival focuses on the harvest moon and children. Despite their differences, these transitions all share similarities. The events bring families together in hopes of celebrating history and remembering ancestors.
The Fall season reminds us that change can bring people together. In every culture, this season becomes a time not only to continue the change but to remember the past. Whether it’s through candles, lanterns, or family gatherings, people celebrate what matters most in their cultures. Fall gives us a reason to celebrate life and the people who make it meaningful.
