A BIT OF HISTORY ABOUT HALLOWEEN
All over the world the 31 of October is the day in which all the scariest and ugliest monsters come out from their shelters and go around the cities looking for kids to scare. This day is called the All Saints Eve’s Day, better known as Halloween, a name that comes from the Anglo-Saxon word “All hallow’s eve“. It is a traditional American party, but the truth is this celebration came in America with the Irish people who emigrated from Ireland to the Northern part of the US.
In fact, originally this celebration descended from the Celts, but owing to the spread of Christianity in Europe, Halloween gained a certain religious essence over the decades.
Despite all, as soon as Christianity lose part of his power, the heartfelt of this celebration did the same; over the years Halloween went loosing its religious meaning, and nowadays it is considered almost a pagan celebration, in which it prevails fright, terror and scary costumes.
HOW SPAIN CELEBRATES HALLOWEEN
Celebrating Halloween in Spain has become something fashionable nowadays, and every year this date is more and more important and felt by all the range of the population. Shops, shopping centers, televisions, everybody gets ready to celebrate this event with great enthusiasm to enjoy it to the best.
Even if we still can’t see decorated houses the way in American movies does, this Saturday we are going to see young people, and also not so young, enjoying this night on the streets of Granada and all over Spain, dressed up like vampires, zombies, witches and whatever of scarier there is. The fact is that in Spain is not a really hard work to introduce a new celebration, as Spanish people are ready to celebrate and have a good time every time they can.
But no doubts the ones who most enjoy Halloween are the kids, who go out to do “Trick or Treat” at their neighbors and relatives, looking for sweets and chocolate. Furthermore, as this celebration is becoming more and more popular, in some cities kids go to school dressed up, ready from the morning to celebrate!
HALLOWEEN’S SPANISH TRADITIONS
CHESTNUTS: In Spain it works differently… it is not the pumpkin the real protagonist of Halloween, but the chestnut! There are many ways to enjoy it: you can roast it on the fire, with honey or boiled milk, or have it alone, it depends on your tastes. You can also enjoy it with other seasonal fruits like figs, sweet potatoes, walnuts, acorns, pomegranates.
SPECIAL SWEETS: For the night of Halloween, Spain has nothing to envy to England’s sweets: “Los Huesos de Santos” are definitely the most traditional sweet of this special night (if you click on the link you will find the recipe). But during this period you can also enjoy aniseed donuts and roasted potatoes (typic of Salamanca), borrachillos (in Andalusìa), rosaris in Mallorca (rosaris made with sugar and caramel), honey-coated fritter in Jaén or migas de niños (in Castilla – La Mancha).
DON JUAN TENORIO: Don Juan Tenorio is a theatre opera usually played during this period. It is really appropriated for the occasion, as the most famous scene of Don Juan is set in a graveyard, where there are appearances of dead men. Spain shares this tradition with Mexico, even if in the last few decades it seems like it is loosing importance in respect with the pagan celebration.