I’m sharing some fun differences in traditions between these two countries.
Halloween: my annual heartbreak In Canada: Halloween is religion. By July, you’re planning your costume. By August, buying decorations. By September, the house is a horror set. Pumpkins? Huge. Candy? Tons. Costumes? True works of art. And the kids? Smiles knocking on every door in the neighborhood.
In Italy: Halloween? That “American party” that ends with buying a pumpkin at the supermarket. Every year I wander Italian supermarkets looking for decent decorations. Result? Misshapen pumpkins that look like orange zucchinis, awful, obviously fake plastic spiders, and vampire masks that are more funny than scary.
Italian kids trying to trick-or-treat end up in front of grandmas who say: “What are you doing, darlings? Here, take a candy… but next time, please don’t ring the bell anymore, okay?”
Christmas: the magic that lights up Canadian winter In Canada: Christmas starts November 1st. No joke. The day after Halloween, first Christmas lights appear. Houses shining, buildings decorated like masterpieces.
In Italy: the elegance in decorations, the artistic nativity scenes, that warm atmosphere that makes you feel like you’re at grandma’s house… truly special. But the Befana? How do I explain to my Canadian friends that on January 6th a witch comes on a broomstick? “Guys, forget Santa Claus, here we have a witch who brings coal!”
Easter: the sweet challenge In Canada: Easter Bunny, egg hunts, chocolate everywhere. Simple, direct, effective. In Italy: Easter is a culinary event that takes weeks of preparation. The Italian Easter lunch is a gastronomic marathon that ends when someone calls an ambulance for indigestion.
The hard truth Here in Italy, I’ve learned to appreciate beautiful traditions, but Halloween? Every year I fall into a bit of a seasonal blues. On October 31st, I light a candle (the only Halloween decoration I can find) and look at pictures of my Canadian Halloweens with a lot of nostalgia and melancholy.