Living with passion – Halloween in Tuscany, Italy
Halloween in Italy? Although absolutely not a traditional Italian holiday, Halloween has been catching on in Italy where American movies and marketing have a strong influence.
In Tuscany, where people are very curious about new things and love to celebrate, Halloween is quickly becoming popular. Places like Florence, Borgo a Mozzano (near Lucca) and Viareggio are celebrating Halloween with increasing zeal each year.
The beginning of November is already a long public holiday week-end in Italy: November 1 is “All Saints Day,” November 2 is the “Day of the Dead” and November 4 is the “National Unity and Armed Forces Day”. People are off work.
On “All Saints Day,” practicing Catholics attend church mass to celebrate all the saints. On the “Day of the Dead,” families and friends head for the cemetery where most graves have been cleaned and decorated with flowers to honor loved ones who have passed away. This is also a time for people to gather with family.
Typically, people take a “bridge day” between November 2 and 4 to have 4 or 5 days off work. This is the perfect set-up for an additional festivity.
Italian children have caught on to Halloween very quickly; they dress in costume and walk from store to store asking, “Scherzetto o Dolcetto?” (Trick or treat)? The treats in questions are not limited to candies but may also include traditional pastries.
Adults have jumped on the bandwagon as well with costume parties, night club events and pumpkin carvings.
In my home town of Viareggio, site of one of Europe’s largest 3 ½ week winter carnivals or Carnevale celebrations, Halloween has really taken off; store windows are decorated, pumpkin pies are baked and Halloween is being fully embraced. It will be interesting to see whether Halloween merchandise sales surpass carnival sales.
The bottom line for Tuscans is this; the more celebrations, the better!
http://www.mytuscanwedding.com/blog/life_in_lucca/halloween_in_lucca.html
http://english.firenze.net/turismo/cm_dettaglio.wbs?id_contenuto=268530&id_categorie=92
http://www.viareggino.com/eventi/2008/halloween-a-viareggio-e-in-versilia-dolcetto-o-scherzetto.asp
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