Halloween In Italy

YES, we do celebrate Halloween while living in Italy.

"Do the Italians?"

....I am asked each year by friends back home. Not really, but they are adopting bits and pieces of imported holidays like Halloween, especially because they have such a commercial side to them.

Fortunately, we have access to American-style pumpkins from our military grocery store which we carve and display just like at home in America.

The base also organizes a trick-or-treat night where people set-up tables and chairs outside their apartments and hand out candy to Americans. It's fun! Peanut and Buddy had a blast this year. (Last year, Peanut was very sick and we could not attend this at the last minute.)

  

Georgia, our Italian landlords grand-daughter with the kids

In our Italian neighborhood, we actually have trick-or-treaters; just a few. Maybe because quite a few kids live in our parco (closed neighborhood) and Americans have lived in this house and others for years, the tradition is somewhat followed here. Most Americans I know "living on the economy" (what we call it if you live off-base) do not have Italian trick-or-treaters.

We did not end up handing out as much candy as we bought because we spent more time at the military base trick-or-treating and having an impromptu party at our friends. (Thanks T & M!)

Buddy also had his famous Halloween party at his Italian pre-school. Once again, here is a school that has had Americans attending for years, and they have adopted the party side of the holiday. They go all-out, highly decorating and we all bring along goodies for the kids.

I hope you had some fun out there, wherever you are! Happy Halloween!