The Harry Potter franchise was extremely unique, as it followed the young characters of Harry, Ron and Hermione as they aged across their years at school. Since it covered many aspects of their young lives, big holidays, like Christmas and Halloween, became a part of the plot.
Fans of the Wizarding World will no doubt be jealous of the treats that Hogwarts students got to enjoy during these festive periods. But it's difficult to decide which holiday would be better to spend at the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. With both shown on-screen, there's a lot of benefits to being at Hogwarts during either of these fantastic events.
Halloween: The Candy
The Harry Potter franchise has created some quite incredibly candy over the years. J.K. Rowling clearly has a bit of a sweet tooth and this is on display in the films, especially in the Honeydukes store in the middle of Hogsmeade.
Here, you can buy all manner of treats and confectionery that would make for an ideal treat at Halloween, or to give out to trick or treaters. Exploding Bon Bons, Fizzing Whizzbees and, of course, Chocolate Frogs all add to the celebration.
Christmas: The Feast
The feasts at Hogwarts are always spectacular, but there's something a little bit more magical about the Christmas Feast, for those still around at the end of the year.
Whether it's the snow falling as they eat, or the full range of British Christmas classics, like mince pies and turkey with cranberry sauce, Hogwarts students seem to prefer this feast in comparison to the rest throughout the year.
Halloween: The Shrieking Shack
The Shrieking Shack is a location that Harry and his friends visited during their third year at Hogwarts and it was a truly terrifying place. Traditionally, the house is said to be haunted by evil spirits.
This is totally believable, considering there are ghosts in the Wizarding World. There aren't many Christmassy locations for students to visit, but for a Halloween themed scare, there's always the Shrieking Shack, which is located just outside of Hogsmeade, to spend a day or night.
Christmas: Hogsmeade
Hogsmeade itself feels extremely festive. While the small town does lend itself to Halloween themes, thanks to Honeydukes and The Shrieking Shack, it is also a perfect place to do some Christmas shopping.
It would really feel like the holiday season here, walking along the snow-covered cobbled streets of the Scottish village. It's always decorated beautifully and the local pubs and restaurants, such as The Hogs Head, are sure to be serving some Christmas themed food.
Halloween: The Theme
The theme of the Wizarding World, in general, screams Halloween. There's magic, witches, wizards and even all manner of scary creatures. It's difficult to ignore the fact that it's a perfect location to spend the holiday.
What's more, the flavors associated with Halloween are used all year round. Pumpkin seems to be one of the main food groups at Hogwarts and it's easy to get pumpkin pie or pumpkin juice at any meal.
Christmas: The Decorations
There are many great traditions in the Wizarding World that Muggles have to miss out on, but the decorations at Hogwarts, in particular, are a truly magical sight to behold.
The Christmas trees are so huge that Flitwick had to create charms just to dress them with baubles. Magically created snow makes it always feel like a winter scene from a card and even the table crackers have an extra spark to them.
Halloween: School Celebrations
The whole school gets to celebrate Halloween together on a special night of eating and trick or treating. Whereas Christmas is normally spent at home with family, the students are still at school for Halloween.
In many ways, this makes the event a little more exciting. Spending Christmas at Hogwarts would be fun, but perhaps a lonely affair. Halloween, on the other hand, feels like a special moment.
Christmas: The Yule Ball
If the students attending the school are lucky enough to be around for a Triwizard Tournament, they will also get to experience a Yule Ball. This festive-themed affair is legendary in the Hogwarts calendar.
It's a huge and spectacular night of partying, with a lot of huge traditions and decorations that are incomparable to what's seen in the rest of the year.
Halloween: The Ghosts
Halloween wouldn't be the same without ghosts and Hogwarts is the best place to be if one is looking to experience a genuine supernatural encounter.
Much like the Day of the Dead, Halloween has often been associated with the afterlife - although perhaps with a more sinister twist. Hogwarts students certainly have no shortage of deceased people to talk to!
Christmas: Family
In many ways, Hogwarts is a bit like a family. Each house feels very homely, with the common room becoming a community area for loved ones. It's even traditional for presents to be given out in the dorms.
Whereas Halloween is more about having fun, Christmas still holds the same values of family and friendship. It's therefore a pretty magical place to celebrate the season, especially for close friends at the school.
