Boo!

Bragança, Portugal region

Here in Europe Halloween isn't really a big deal but as the world becomes more of a global village cultures and festivals are crossing.

Yesterday my English B students were doing a bit of research on Halloween and we established that there were festivals held at the this time of the year by the Celts (from the 5th century BC) and they believed that "spirits of all those who had died the preceding year would come back in search of living bodies to possess. The Celts thought that by dressing up in ghoulish costumes they could frighten the spirits away."

Portugal has Celtic origins and funnily enough way in the north in a region sparsely populated (Bragança) near the border with Spain there is a tradition of donning costumes and masks on October 31.

So beware the 31st of October wherever you are. . .