El Dia de Castanyada

Sorry for the lack of blogging everyone! Here is an update about, what else, another Catalan holiday!! Catalonia is rich with culture and tradition, and it has been a delight to experience yet another part of that tradition.  The most recent holiday that was celebrated is called "El Dia de Castanyada".  There is not much information on this holiday, since it is solely celebrated in Catalonia.  However, from what I have heard and read, this is what I can gather.  The holiday of "La Castanyada" is an Catalan celebration of All Saints Day, and is celebrated on October 31st.  Castanyes, chestnuts, are roasted to celebrate this holiday.  Panelettes are also made, as well as sweet potatoes with quince .  A yummy sweet wine, moscatel, can also be paired with these foods.  We were lucky enough to get a taste of the wine on our, wait for it, field trip. We got to drink on our field trip! It was amazing.

Anyways, back to the holiday.  The symbol for the day is "La Castanyera", a 'yaya' or grandma-looking fictional character (sound familiar?).  I'll link this video, since it is a recording of the song the kids sing when they visit "La Castanyera" in the woods.  It's in Catalan, but has animation that explains most of the story ( as far as I know it).  On our field trip, the children first met with the program leaders to make panelettes, small rolled sweets.  They were then told the story of "La Castanyera", and then went into the forest to collect chestnuts.  Magically, we came across 'la yaya', who was asleep in a chair.  She was surrounded by quite a harvest scene, with yams, pumpkins, and the like.  The kids yell "La Castanyera!!!" three times.  On the third time, she wakes from her sleep to sing a song with them (i.e. the video).  They offer the picked chestnuts to "La Castanyera" and the students will later eat the roasted chestnuts that she makes for them.

In my head, I likened the holiday to Thanksgiving, with a little Christmas built it.  It is celebrated on Halloween as a day to celebrate All Saints.  The holiday does also seem to celebrate the harvest, with the gathering of the chestnuts, and the fall scene.  "La Castanyera" herself reminds me of a female Santa, especially since a few kids started crying when they saw her.  I guess some things are the same throughout the world, haha.

Aside from an allergic reaction and a quick trip to the doctor (the kid was fine, thank God), the trip was a success.  Just 20 minutes away near the Montseny mountains, the countryside was a nice change of pace.  And the wine helped.