Our Spanish students catch Halloween fever!

Why is it that on the night of the 31st October, we dress up as witches, ghosts and vampires and wander around local houses, shouting “Trick or Treat”? And when was it that we started decorating our houses with carved pumpkins and spiders’ webs?

It was immigrants from Ireland, forced by famine in the 19th century to leave their homes, who brought Halloween (All Hallows’ Eve) to the USA. Thanks to its contagiously fun nature, it soon caught on and quickly became one of the most important festivals in the US and Canada.

The Irish also brought with them the legend of Jack O’Lantern, an ancient farmer doomed to wander forever in the darkness between good and evil. Only a piece of coal in a hollowed-out turnip could light his way, allowing him to move about the terrestrial world safely. However, because pumpkins are much bigger than turnips and easier to hollow out, and also more readily available, the tradition evolved of carving faces into them and putting them outside houses.

Nowadays, modernized versions of these traditions are becoming increasingly popular, and are slowly conquering continental Europe.

The younger generations already accept Halloween as a tradition and dress up every year to collect sweets, but even the slightly older among us are becoming increasingly infected by Halloween fever. Every year sees more parties, costumes, ghost stories and bonfires. And who wouldn’t enjoy dressing up and wandering around playing tricks on people!

At Instituto Hemingway, we’re celebrating by going out for pintxos all dressed up!