Aduchamp1

How is Halloween celebrated in Spain? Does it vary from region to region?

Thanks.

markrosy

I don't know but I was going to ask the same about Sicily - we will be there this weekend with our 4 year vampire.

ribeirasacra

Halloween is not so important as Día de Todos Los Santos which is observed on 1st Nov. Unless you are a kid.

caroline_edinburgh

http://www.bestofsicily.com/mag/art179.htm

markrosy

Thanks Caroline - "Feast of the Dead" sound like a few Italian restaurants near us.

We always like to see another country during a festival season.

lincasanova

Trick or Treating seems to have caught on in many of the residential single family or town house neighborhoods. Not sure about in the cities.

tejana

I don't know about Spain, but I know that Halloween (as in trick or treating door to door) is fairly unknown in most of Europe. We had German exchange students visiting the DC area on Halloween a few years ago and they couldn't understand why people would let their kids go door to door begging for candy, or why the non-kid houses put up with it.

ribeirasacra

In the UK T or T is a grwoing thing, but with menace...older kids now use violence so they want to ban it!

alihutch

Trick or treat is just awful...scares the hell out of old folks and I'm not that happy either. Much bigger in Scotland than England (called Guising in Scotland), although that may be changing....one downside of living here. I always try and be out that evening.

portuense

There's no real concept of halloween here other than through movies etc...the shops & supermarkets are starting to sell fancy dress costumes and pumpkins but I'm not sure the locals really know what to do with them. No trick or treating (unless you happen to be near one of the US military bases at Rota or Moron!) to speak of. And everyone will be getting ready for Day of the Dead. Our wedding anniv is Oct 31 and a few times I've tried to but flowers on the day but there's no chance: it's the biggest day of the year for florists here as all families take flowers to the graves of departed; it's interesting but not anything like Mexico. And not anything like US/UK...though you might find a dubbed version of the movie 'Halloween' on one of the TV channels...

cathies

I'm glad that it doesn't seem to be catching on around the world. If I am correct, isn't it an American custom? I do get a bit annoyed when the rest of the world slavishly follows American trends.

I don't mean any offence to American postors.

Here in Australia, it is observed in a limited fashion. There are Halloween themed lollies in the shops and kids dress up a little and visit neighbouring houses, but that's about it.

MissPrism

It's a custom that has been exported to America from Britain and returned in a nastier form as a form of begging and extortion.
It used to be a North of England and Scottish thing.
My husband is Scottish and he said that in his day, you went out to neighbours and it was a case of trick and treat.
You sang a song or performed in some way and you got cakes or sweets in return. You also bobbed for apples and tried to eat a treacle scone with your hands behind your back. The scone was covered in treacle to add to the fun and mess.
I wonder if the Scottish version still exists. Sheila?

Aduchamp1

I am not sure why there is such indigantion with Halloween. It is a silly harmless day that children enjoy and some adults.

Is it over done, yes by some.

There is no political or social exploitation associated with it.

Your distaste for this is totally out of proportion with the crime and the thought that it scares old people says more about the instability of your old people than the reality.

alihutch

I didn't enjoy the egg that I had thrown at my window.....I'm allowed not to like it (with or without the egg incident).... It's not something that I grew up with.

'the instability of our old people'.......wow! ......

caroline_edinburgh

Aduchamp1, I daresay even you may be scared if a gang of tough late teenage youths came round to your house demanding money with menaces. Thankfully now I live in a 4th floor flight I can ignore them

Josser

I am instable (sic) enough to want to thump the little buggers who covered my car with flour especially as Mrs. J. had actually given them something.

Aduchamp1

There is a huge difference between thugs and chidlren dressed in obvious costumes coming to the door.

The exact quote was:
Trick or treat is just awful...scares the hell out of old folks and I'm not that happy either.

When I was growing up the people who had eggs or flour tossed at them where those who treated the children poorly the other 364 days. And it seems the same is true in Scotland.

quokka

There is a big difference between performing a song or similar, i.e. doing something in return for the sweets you hope to receive, and knocking at random people's doors and threatening to play pranks on them if they don't give you anything. I am inclined to call the latter extortion.

Aduchamp1

We are fortunate, that for the most part, Halloween in the States is not a day of extortion.

ribeirasacra

REF the UK thugs, please read this
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...re/7701112.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7814072.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...on/8301973.stm

Now tell us all how good Halloween is!