LAUNE x Europhile Halloween
Happy All Hallows' Eve! Although Halloween is a typical American holiday, many of its historic roots lie in Europe. From France to Spain to Germany, join Europhile and LAUNE for a hauntingly delightful journey through the unique Halloween traditions of Europe.
France: Toussaint
France celebrates a unique tradition known as “La Danse Macabre” during Toussaint. A popular belief across Christian Europe in the Medieval times, and particularly in France, was that for one night of the year, all of the dead across the world would rise up from their graves and join in a wild, raucous carnival, called la danse macabre. This belief was also a reminder of the universality of death. On this night, villagers would gather for a candlelit vigil throughout the night, and children would dress up to enact la danse macabre in costume.
Italy: Ognissanti
Italy celebrates Ognissanti with fave dei morti (beans of the dead) which are fava bean-shaped almond cookies. The significance being due to the ancient belief that souls of the dead reside in fava beans, which allowed for a connection between the worlds of the living and the dead. Fava beans were a customary part of ancient funerals, where they were consumed and tossed over the shoulder in homage to the deceased. As time went on the elite found this practice to be a bit too low-brow, and the beans were replaced with pastry “beans” that eventually morphed into the sweets we know today. These almond-based cookies are white (vanilla), pink (rosewater), and brown (chocolate), and symbolize birth, life, and death.
Spain: Día de Todos los Santos & Día de los Difuntos
In Spain, families take two days to celebrate those who have come before them: Día de Todos los Santos (November 1), which is strictly for honoring saints, and Día de los Difuntos (November 2), which is for remembering family members. Sweet treats such as buñuelos de viento (fried dough), huesos de Santo (marzipan dough), and panellets (an almond dough with pine nuts) are enjoyed at bonfires, along with music and dancing. The most unique tradition, however, is queimada - a brandy punch made with lemon peel, coffee beans, and sugar, which is served in a hollowed-out pumpkin. Before sipping, the drinker casts a spell to ward off evil: With this bellows I will pump
the flames of this fire
which looks like that from Hell,
and witches will flee,
straddling their brooms,
going to bathe in the beach
of the thick sands.
Hear! Hear the roars
of those that cannot
stop burning in the firewater,
becoming so purified.
And when this beverage
goes down our throats,
we will get free of the evil
of our soul and of any charm.
Scotland/Ireland: Samhain
Dressing up in costumes is de rigueur on Halloween, especially in the US, but this tradition stems from the celebration of Samhain. Samhain is a Celtic pagan fire festival that marks the beginning of the dark half of the year, and is situated between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice. To appease deities during this time, sacrifices (generally of crops and animals) were burned in bonfires as a protective measure from evil otherworldly beings and offerings were left out for other visiting mischievous spirits. Different forms of divination were also quite common during Samahin. During Samhain Eve, a young woman would peel an apple all in one, and throw it over her shoulder. It’s said that the peeling would take the shape of the first initial of the man she would marry.
Slavic countries: Dziady
Dziady is a word from Slavic folklore that refers to the spirits of ancestors, and is also used in reference to traditions and customs dedicated to them. These traditions were kept not only to honor ancestors, but to win their favor and ensure your peace in the afterlife. Rather than assembling these gifts on alters or graves, however, families drop or pour their food and drinks directly onto the table or grave. It is also common to draw warm baths in offering, to warm up one’s ancestors and ensure they are clean. Lastly, bonfires were lit to light the way for souls, to prevent them getting lost on the way back to their graves. It was also believed that bonfires warded off evil spirits from coming back to earth!
Germany: Martinstag
On November 11, processions of children carrying paper lanterns (Laternelaufen) can be found parading throughout Germany. Children travel through neighborhoods, knocking on doors and singing, hoping that they are treated with some sweets! At the end of the procession, there is typically a massive bonfire with more goodies. The holiday originates from the story of St. Martin, a Roman soldier in the 4th century who was riding his horse and passed a beggar who was freezing. Rather than continuing on, St. Martin cut his cloak in half and shared it with the beggar, displaying kindness and compassion. The lantern processions reflect the light and selflessness of St. Martin.
