Yesterday most of my blogger friends were celebrating Halloween... I hope you had lots of fun! I can't wait t see photos of your super fancy dresses! :O) I have never celebrated Halloween myself this way... but... let me introduce you to "La Castanyada" celebration!
As most of you probably know by now, I was born and raised in Barcelona, Spain. Today November 1st all over Catalonia, and especially in Barcelona, anyone can take part in one of the region’s most characteristic All Saints’ Day traditions: “la Castanyada” (from the Catalan word "castanya" meaning "chestnut"). This celebration "has moved" over the last years and it is now most commonly celebrated the 31st of October. Just Like Halloween in Anglo-Saxon countries, "La Castanyada" comes from an ancient funerary ritual.
Look at these "Castanyes"... Yummy! :O). Link
The chestnut (fall’s classic symbol) but also sweet potatoes, sweet wine and “panellets,” small varied candies made of marzipan, almonds and pine nuts (a Catalan staple) play the leading role in this festival.
These are the "panellets", they are delicious... my aunt Maria Dolores makes the best ones... believe me! ;O) Link
It is believed that the tradition of eating this highly caloric foods comes from the fact that during All Saint's eve the "alive" family members, friends and relatives help the "dead" all night long trough the difficult path to the "other life" and they consume those to don't faint in the effort.
I our days "La Castanyada" is celebrated at home with the family members and also outside, in the neighborhoods, in the streets, and it constitutes one of the most traditional celebrations in schools, now without cultural or religious references to the "dead".
Children Dressed as "castanyeres" celebrating "La Castanyada" at their school. link
Children preparing "panellets" at school. this is so fun!!! I still remember the excitement of those childhood moments ;O) Link.
In popular culture "La Castanyada" is represented with the image of an old lady, dressed in old and "poor" clothes and a scarf on her head in front of a "castanya" maker selling in the road.
Typical "castanyera-woman" style. Link
And now I wish I was in my home town to see all those "castanyeres" and "castanyeros" filling the streets with their nostalgic figure, the smell of their chestnuts and sweet potatos, the happy mood of the people in general, that cold weather that announces Christmas... ;O)
Hope you enjoyed this post!!! Have a super-Sunday my lovely people!!!
I have called her "La Mujer de la Nieve", Spanish for "The Woman from the Snow" and is now available in my Etsy shop as a 5x7 in (13x18 cm) print . Find her here.
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