Look out for Halloween themed shop windows throughout Ashbourne town centre, and check the calendar for any special local events. Halloween is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows' Day. It is the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the departed. Celebrated in Ireland and Scotland for centuries, Irish and Scottish migrants brought many Halloween customs to North America in the 19th century, and then through American influence, Halloween spread to other countries by the late 20th and early 21st century. Secular Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, costume parties, pumpkin carving, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, divination games, playing pranks, visiting haunted attractions, telling scary stories, and watching horror or Halloween-themed films. The Christian religious observances of All Hallows' Eve, include attending church services and lighting candles on the graves of the dead. With thanks to Wikipedia for this synopsis.