Hello Everyone,
Chris was thinking that there might be a Halloween in Italy? I told him that I didn't think that it was a world recognized so called holiday like it is in the US. Is it? Just curious. We will be in Rome on the 29th of this month for our honeymoon. Maybe we could me up with someone there. Hope to hear a reply. Amy

I dont think there is a halloween festival in Italy, it being a catholic counrty & things like ghosts & witches are therefore frowned upon. I think this is mainly an American tradition.

In the Catholic tradition November 1 is All Saints Day (or All Souls Day) and in many cultures, All Souls Eve - also known as All Hallows Eve (Halloween) is reserved for the dead. The mostly American tradition of Halloween is related to these other traditions. In Mexico it is called the Day of the Dead and families visit dead relatives at the cemetery.

Italian immigrants brought a tradition over with them to America for All Souls Eve that was still practiced when my Father was a little kid:


"Children who put clean, polished shoes outside their door on All Souls Eve might find them filled with candy the next morning."
source: Italian American Folklore: Frances Malpezzi, William Clements, 1992.

Kids were also trick or treating by the time my father was young, but he does remember getting candy and money in his shoes.

I'm not sure about current traditions in Italy, but since commercialism and marketing are powerful forces you might even find a costume party for the kids - check the embassy, they might do something for the kids living overseas. Halloween is celebrated to some extent in other places in Europe - but I don't know about trick or treating I think its more like costume parties.

If you are heading to the Garda/Verona area, the amusement park Gardaland has a Magic Halloween theme for the end of october/early november that looks pretty cool: http://www.gardaland.it/en/home.php

Yes due to mass-media - American movies and all the other communication channels there is Halloween in Italy.
See the following article:
http://www.lifeinitaly.com/culture/halloween.asp

I am sorry Rina but Italy is not great in following the catholic rules ( or any rules for that matter ) - Catholics in America have often plenty of childrens because they follow the pope family rules, italy has about 1.3 child per caput.

Anyway going back to Halloween I will ask Pasquale if he can take some pictures in Rome this year

Paolo

Another YES, there is! Since Ive been in Italy its fame has grown like its festivals--- school kids actually dress up. I always stick my head outside on the night of Halloween eve to see if there are any small critters stirring, and there are indeed! Also, there are clubs that have parties...I'm not sure about the hotels,,, but its becoming a cliche here too!

By the way Paolo meant Capitol, by using Caput.

Thanks for the information. I wasn't quit sure, so....now we know. Do you know of any clubs or places in Rome that may be having any such parties, or are they primarily only for that weekend???

Halloween in Italy? O>K> folks, I stand corrected.

While halloween is definitely an American tradition, it is becoming popular across the world due to Halloween movies, and the marketing possibilities of Halloween items.

Countries across Asia have now begun to have Halloween parties, complete with costumes and all, so I am not surprised it is also catching on in Italy. I guess in our globalized times, whatever tradition can be commercialized(which is most traditions), catches on across countries.

Halloween was superficialized by Americans, but the concept comes from the Celts.

Jacqueline is right on - All Hallows Eve does have real religious connections with Celtic Paganism (Pagan being of a latin root for "country dweller").

However like every holiday from Halloween, to St. Valentines Day, to even Christmas season starting the day after Thanksgiving - American commercialism has basically stripped any religious connotations from these traditions and have made it more about what you can spend and consume.

But hey, I like dressing up and I like candy so I try not to complain too much about what we've done to Halloween.

What I like best about Halloween - the next day all the unsold candy is on sale :D