In the major part of the Anglo-Saxon world, Halloween will be celebrated on the last day of October. However, over the last two decades this holiday found its way all over Europe. So don't be surprised that evening, when walking through a Tuscan town, you will see groups of masked little people, standing at doorsteps with lanterns in their hands and shouting; "TRICKO OR TREATO" Many locals won't know what do, but with some luck they get some early "ossa di morto".

In Tuscany and all over Italy, they didn't celebrate October 31, but the first and second of November, being "Ognissanti" (All Saint's Day) and "Il Giorno di Morti" (Day of the Dead).

On the first of November, "All Saints Day" people simply enjoy their day off work. The children go to bed early in the hope not to be forgotten by the dead members of the family and that they will get beautiful presents the next day. The parents prepare presents and hide them around the house. (Parents tell their children that if they behaved correctly, the good souls of the dead might bring presents for them).

November second is very important for most Tuscans, it is the "Day of the Dead", during which the church remembers with special celebrations those who are no longer alive. People visit the cemetery taking flowers and candles to the graves of dead relatives and friends. The children find their presents around the house, brought to them by the dead. There will be plenty of food and drinks for everybody and there also will be traditional sweets, only made around this time of year, like the "ossa di morto", the "bones of the dead", almond cookies in the shape of bones.

These traditional holidays go back a long way in Tuscan and Italian history. We are not sure if the origin of these festivities goes as far as the celebration by the Celts of "Samain", the last night of the Celtic year. On this night, ?the world on this side? comes together with "the world on the other side" and the dead wander the lands and create a dangerous situation by increasing the powers of devils and evil spirits. Their Shamans took care, that it would not become too hectic for the living. (So presents were given to soften the temper of the spirits!)

The Roman had something similar as the Celtic "Samain", but already less dark, the "Feralia", held on February 21 to honour the dead and give them peace.

It was a family celebration, with a lot of dead relatives and friends to honour, including the "Genii", the family's male ancestors, and the "Lares", who were the spirits of good people.

However, there also were the "Lemuri", ghosts of those who had been evil in life. The problem was getting these evil spirits out of the house, before they could cause illness or harm you in any other way. The head of the family would stand up in the middle of the night and wander around the house barefoot, his mouth full of black fava beans, which he would toss one by one over his shoulder onto the floor. The "Lemuri" were supposed to stoop to gather them and then leave the house.

These were not the kind of customs early Christian Church liked. Roman Christians already worshipped the Martyrs on the first Sunday after Pentecost and Pope Boniface established All Saints Day in 609. He decreed, it should take place on May 13, the day the Pagan Romans had honoured their Pantheon. So Pope Boniface replaced a Pagan holiday with a Christian one and since All Saints Day was a kind of celebration of the dead, it took care of the Roman "Feralia". However, it did nothing about the celebration of "Samain" in the more northern regions of Europe.

Pope Gregory IV took care of this problem (in 835) by moving All Saints Day to November 1st, the day after "Samain". In the 10th century the Church dedicated November 2nd to the remembrance of the dead. The result is that Italians now celebrate the saints on November 1st and remember their dead on the 2nd, which became the Memorial Day.

HOWEVER, one thing of the old Roman pagan tradition survived; "fave dolci", sweet fava beans, became the earlier mentioned "ossa di morti", the bones of the dead. There are a number of recipes from throughout Tuscany and we want to give our favourite:

The ingredients

• 100 gr. grinded almonds
• 100 gr. (quality) honey
• 100gr. whole-wheat flour
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 lemon peel, rasped
• 50 gr. cream butter, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees Celsius.

Put the almonds, the honey and some water in a bowl. Stir with enough liquid till the almonds are well coated and spread the mass on a baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes, till the almonds are golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Grind the almonds.

Take the almonds together with the flour, eggs, cinnamon, lemon peel and the butter. Put them in a bowl and make (electric or by hand) a ball of dough. Roll the ball out with your hands on a work surface as you are making a French baguette. Cut it in slices and shape the bits into bones. Place the "bones" on to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake the cookies in about 20 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius.

"BUON APPETITO"