Autumn is truly upon us. My lovely friend Jo came to visit from Spain this week and it has been just great showing her around. Halloween also happened. Wow, I am truly gobsmacked at how well Bracciano does Halloween. The shops were all decorated, the kids were trick or treating in the shops, rather than individual homes. There was a fun fair and market in the town square. Even the lamp posts along the main street were decorated with halloween paraphernalia, such as witches’ brooms. It was so much better than I could have imagined.
As I have previously mentioned, Halloween is by far my favourite time of the year, full of excitement, fun and surprises. My first Italian halloween was a big surprise. I’m not too sure if this is representative of all small towns in Italy but I was so impressed. As I wondered through the centro storico, kids were going around in amazing costumes with friends or family members. I had also managed to get tickets for a grown-ups halloween party down by the lake for later on in the evening. Of course Jo and I put on our glad rags and some scary make-up and made for the merriment. It was so packed full of people. All in all 10/10 for my new town.
Some days later, Bonfire Night was going to be celebrated in the UK. It’s a big festivity in the UK, which is incredibly difficult to explain to others from outside the tiny isle. The well-known poem goes some way to explaining what it’s all about; “Remember, remember the 5th of November, gunpowder, treason and plot; for there is a reason why gunpowder and treason should ne’er be forgot.”
All hope of celebrating this year was out, until I received an invitation from a friend who works at the British Embassy. What a great time I had. It was also a peculiar experience to see what I had always considered a fairly normal part of my country’s culture and festivities for what it was. At the embassy we had a bonfire and fireworks, which was just fab. In the UK, however, it’s normal to burn an effigy of Guy (Guido) Fawkes, the man who plotted to blow up King James I parliament. Known as the gunpowder plot, it has been celebrated for centuries that the plot was foiled at the last minute and Fawkes, along with his associates were executed. Being outside of my country at this time of year and having to explain the traditional to school kids, made me realise just how strange this tradition is!
I’ve attached a link to a video below for you to learn more about the experience.
Does your country have any unusual traditions? Let me know below.