When is Halloween?
Halloween is observed on 31 October every year. The timer selects the next 31 October automatically.
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Halloween is observed on 31 October every year. The timer selects the next 31 October automatically.
Quick, clear answers
Halloween date and countdown
Calendar days and live time
The Halloween page shows the calendar-day gap as well as a live countdown to midnight at the start of the date.
It follows your local time
Everything is calculated in your browser using your device date and time zone. No personal date is sent to the server.
The night before All Saints’ Day
The name comes from All Hallows’ Eve, the evening before All Saints’ Day on 1 November.
History and UK traditions
Halloween history and UK customs
Modern parties and trick-or-treating sit alongside traditions with roots in Britain and Ireland.
Samhain influenced the season
The Gaelic festival marking the end of harvest is often connected with later Halloween customs in Ireland and Scotland.
Lanterns were once carved from turnips
Before pumpkins became widely available, people in Britain and Ireland carved faces into turnips and swedes.
Trick-or-treating grew rapidly after the 1980s
Door-to-door customs existed earlier, but the American-style phrase and format became much more visible in recent decades.
Apple games are older than plastic decorations
Bobbing for apples and other harvest games have long featured at autumn gatherings.
Plan without the rush
Planning for Halloween
1
A month or more ahead
Set a realistic budget and note the bookings or purchases needed for Halloween.
2
A couple of weeks ahead
Confirm travel, deliveries and plans with the people involved.
3
In the final days
Keep only essential tasks and leave room to enjoy the occasion.
Frequently asked
Halloween: questions and answers
Yes. The date is fixed, but the day of the week changes each year.
Local practice varies, but families generally go in the early evening and visit only welcoming, well-lit homes.
They are a convenient modern version of older carved-root lantern traditions.
It uses the local time zone configured on your device and shows it alongside the result.
Yes. The next valid date is calculated automatically, so the same page continues to work in future years.
More dates to look forward to