I just read an article about how some Europeans are denouncing Halloween as an `American cultural trash' holiday, and those same people are saying that Europeans shouldn't celebrate it.
I know that my friend in Madrid told me his office had a Halloween party last year.

How much do Spaniards celebrate this holiday?

Amada, Halloween in Spain is a phenomenum similar to Cinco de Mayo in the USA (a holiday which even Mexicans don't celebrate) insofaras it's a holiday promoted mainly for commercial reasons. Halloween in the USA IS a commercial holiday, of course, and its exportation to Europe in general or Spain in particular is only because money can be made for these "invented holidays" abroad. My ladyfriend in Madrid tells me that only in the last 10 years have a few people used "Halloween" as a day to have parties and dress-up, etcetera, but I don't think it's recognized/remembered by the common Spaniard. I don't see it as a BAD idea but its sole purpose, of course, is to sell more food, drinks, party supplies, and another diversion from daily life.

Saludos, MadridMan
Happy Halloween! October 31st

You're right MadridMan, some stores (especially party stores) do promote it and bars have lots of parties to liven up business. Heck you can even find pumpkins. I love them because they come with a sticker on them explaining how to make a jack-o-lantern. Some even have stickers of eyes, a nose and a face! But commercial interests aren't the only reasons.

Celebrating Halloween has become quite popular in schools thanks (or no thanks, depending on your perspective)to English teachers (like me) using it as a cultural theme in their classes. It's even becoming big in British schools even though England doesn't tradtionally celebrate it. It's a fun way of teaching English and creating a fun atmosphere. BUT I can assure you it isn't widely appreciated by many people who feel it is an American custom encroaching on Spain. I try to tell them it's a 3,000 year-old tradition which probably started in Ireland, but that doesn't seem to make a difference.

But it's so much fun for kids, it's only normal that it catch on.

I go through this debate every year, but it's useless, because no one agrees. But that's all right, 'cause I can understand both sides of the argument.

So to answer the question: Halloween is not celebrated at all in a serious way by most Spaniards, and it's even rejected by some. But it is catching on especially among young people.

My madrileña taught bilingual classes to elementary school-aged children for 2-years in 2000 in New Mexico, USA. When she returned to Madrid to teach her elementary school children there she also introduced Halloween AND Thanksgiving. The children were wildly excited to learn about both just because Halloween is so freaky, gross, scarey, and you get to dress-up (and kids love all those things!) and Thanksgiving involved the Native Americans whom they've watched in COUNTLESS movies already in their young lives - AND they got to dress-up as pilgrims/Native Americans and do pace-painting and art-work for both holidays. These "introduced" holidays are excellent teaching-tools, I'm sure. All the same goes for celebrating the image of Santa Claus in Spain.

The real question will be when/IF Spaniards will start celebrating Cinco de Mayo with parties, Mexican food outings, and margaritas and Mexican beer - which would be totally silly since they really had nothing (or little) to do with this tiny battle victory against the United Statesens. If so, THEN you'll know that greater marketing forces are at work to sell more tortilla chips and salsa abroad.

Saludos, MadridMan

The battle was not against the U.S. but rather the French. It was the first defeat of Napoleon's army in fifty years.

In Catalonia Halloween is called "la Castanyada". On the night of the 31st of October people have parties with their friends or their family. They eat sweet "moniato" (sweet potato), toasted chestnuts and "panellets" (small pies) and moscatell ( sweet wine). It is a custom to tell frighten stories or tales. Beside of that, it's true that the two celebrations have been mixed without problems in the catalan society, and in the school, halloween is celebrated as a special activity in the english class, as Murdy have said.

Here you have an example,
Halloween- Castanyada

nevado, I stand corrected. You see, I feel I'm a typical United Statesen when it comes to history (sad that it is). Read about Cinco de Mayo (off topic) @ http://www.vivacincodemayo.org/history.htm regarding the Mexican-French battle. Regarding Halloween in Spain, it's all about having fun. But more than that, it's a way to make money for those producing the party products, food, and drinks. But at the very least it does mobilize people to get together, socialize, and have fun. And that can't be a bad thing.

Saludos, MadridMan

That's interesting sdavidr, I didn't know that. At my school we celebrate a "Castañada" but it's in November and not associated with any specific date.

Just tonight I was speaking to my madrileña about her nephew who was being taught about Halloween in his elementary English classes. So today, he went to the nearby fruit/vegetable store and bought a pumpkin to carve. I was told they'd never carried pumpkins before. Also, my ladyfriend was visiting a relative in an elderly care facility recently and even they had the place decorated with Halloween-themed streamers, paper cut-outs of pumpkins, and other Hallowing decorations.

My ladyfriend told me that they've never had Halloween as we have it here in the USA but forever, for thousands of years, Catholic countries tell "death stories" on the night of October 31st and everyone goes to the graves of family members on November 1st, bringing the entire family together once again. She says that these customs are quickly fading away and nowadays only people in the villages do such things - but even them with less frequency. Few people in the big cities do it anymore. She told me that she remembers her grandmother telling such stories when she was a girl but not since.

Saludos, MadridMan

All fiestas and holidays have been borrowed at some stage from another culture. And all are subject to commercialization so I don't see what the fuss is about. Halloween is a pagan, pre-Christian celebration and is not a US idea. Even if it were, what's the problem? Those Spaniards who want only "indigenous", non-commercial festivals celebrated should also think about ditching Christmas and Easter too! And let the rest of us enjoy an excuse for some fun.