On November 1, many shops in Italy close, and on the 2nd, everyone heads to the cemetery.
In Sicily, the souls of ancestors visit during the night and leave gifts for children who have been good.
And no one, anywhere, gives chrysanthemums as a gift to another person.
Two Days and a Single Flower
November 1 in Italy is called “Ognissanti” (All Saints’ Day), a holiday dating back to the Middle Ages.
And November 2 is “il Giorno dei Morti” (All Souls’ Day).
Although it is not officially a public holiday, everyone observes it as one.
During these two days, Italians make their most important visit of the year to the cemetery.
They clean the graves, wipe the tombstones, light small red candles called “lumini,” and leave flowers.
And those flowers are always chrysanthemums.
Because they bloom just at the beginning of November, they have been the symbolic flower of All Souls’ Day in Italy for centuries.
Cemeteries such as Staglieno in Genoa and Monumentale in Milan are like open-air museums of 19th-century sculpture, and these two days are particularly crowded.
There is one rule that anyone visiting Italy should know.
Never give chrysanthemums as a gift.
You must not give them for birthdays, dinner invitations, or even as a token of appreciation.
Chrysanthemums are flowers meant only for the dead, and nothing else.
What the Dead Bring
Meanwhile, November 2 in Sicily is Children’s Day, a day for everyone to enjoy.
Children in Sicily are told that on the night of November 1, the souls of their ancestors visit and leave gifts behind.
On the morning of the 2nd, the children search for them.
Toys hidden in cupboards, and baskets called “cannistrol” filled with dried figs, nuts, and hard biscuits.
The cannistrol also contains special treats available only on this day.
The first is “frutta martorana.”
These are marzipan fruits shaped like peaches, figs, and prickly pears, so realistically crafted that people sometimes mistake them for real fruit and bite into them.
They are said to have been created by the nuns of the Martorana monastery in Palermo.
The second is “pupi di zucchero.”
These are brightly colored sugar figurines of knights and ladies, which children first use as toys.
Only after they have grown tired of playing with them are they allowed to eat them as a treat.
In Palermo, the “Fiera dei Morti” (All Souls’ Fair) fills the streets with stalls for a week.
Sardinia also has its own traditions.
At dusk, children knock on doors and ask for sweets on behalf of the souls.
This custom predates Halloween.
Bread, Cakes, and Bread for the Dead
In other parts of Italy, memories are eaten.
In Milan, “pan dei morti” (bread for the dead) is a dark, soft biscuit made with cocoa, dried fruit, spices, and crushed amaretti, then dusted with powdered sugar.
In Umbria, Marche, and central Italy around Rome, “fave dei morti” (bread for the dead) are small almond biscuits shaped like fava beans.
The tradition dates back to ancient Rome.
Fava beans were believed to be the home of the souls of the dead.
This belief has endured for 2,000 years longer than the Romans themselves.
In Piedmont and Sicily, people also eat “ossa dei morti” (bones of the dead).
True to their name, these are hard, white, meringue-like biscuits.
In Puglia, people eat “grano dei morti.”
This is boiled wheat mixed with pomegranate seeds, chocolate, and walnuts, allowing the living to eat the food intended for the dead.
Pumpkins That Are Not for Halloween
Pumpkins are also displayed in Italy in November.
Not for Halloween.
“Tortelli di zucca” from Mantua are stuffed pasta filled with pumpkin, crushed amaretti, and mostarda (pickled fruit in mustard), creating a delightful balance of sweet and spicy flavors.
For those living in the plains around the Po River, this is a special seasonal delicacy.
In the Friulian town of Venzone, a pumpkin festival is held at the end of October, where people dress in medieval costumes.
The culture of Halloween itself has also become established in Italy, mainly through children and shopping districts.
However, it is only half-heartedly embraced.
While there are costumes at school and occasional parties, trick-or-treating from house to house has not caught on.
The real Italian celebration begins the next morning, when families pile into their cars and head to the cemetery.
Bridges, Clocks, and Heating
If a holiday falls on a Monday or Thursday, Italians also take Friday or Monday off.
This is called a “ponte” (bridge).
In 2026, November 1 will fall on a Sunday, so no bridge can be made.
In such years, the whole country feels a little grumpy.
And during the same week, two other events signal the change of season more clearly than any calendar.
On the last Sunday of October, the clocks go back one hour, and dusk arrives at 5 p.m.
And the heating comes on.
The date is determined not by families, but by the state.
Italy is divided into detailed zones based on climate, and the law sets the date when heating (boilers) may be turned on.
In Milan, it is in mid-October; in Palermo, on December 1.
Until that day arrives, people bundle up in sweaters even indoors to ward off the cold.
To the Readers of ITALIAKARA
The closest equivalent in Japan is probably Obon in August, when the spirits return and families visit the graves, followed by the autumn equinox holidays. Chrysanthemums alone build a bridge between the two.
The chrysanthemum is the flower of the Japanese imperial family, but it is also Japan’s funeral flower—a role it plays in Italy as well. And the Sicilian belief that deceased parents return for just one night to leave gifts for their children may be the closest parallel to Japanese culture in all of Italian culture.
Wine Pairings for This Article’s Recipes
Pair the sweets for the dead with a sweet wine, and the pumpkin tortelli with Valpolicella.
Masi (Veneto) is an excellent match for fava dei morti and pan dei morti. Pair the pumpkin tortelli from Mantua with Valpolicella.
＼Wine Expert MIHO’s Recommendations／
For spiced and dried-fruit sweets, Recioto—which shares the history of sun-dried grapes—is an ideal match! For the sweet-and-savory pumpkin tortelli, choose a fresh Valpolicella with lively acidity. It is a superb pairing that beautifully complements the kick of mostarda.
Planeta (Sicily) For a Sicilian day, choose a Sicilian red. Serve cannistrol at the table.
＼Italia-na Allie’s Recommendations／
For Sicily’s warm celebration, where ancestors bring gifts during the night, a Sicilian red wine bathed in the sun and the bounty of the land is the perfect choice! Raise a glass with the whole family while sharing fond memories.
Badia a Coltibuono (Tuscany) For a Sunday lunch in November after visiting the cemetery, choose Chianti Classico.
＼CHII’s Recommendations After 30 Years of Wine／
The elegant acidity and composed character of Badia a Coltibuono’s Chianti Classico are perfect for a leisurely Sunday afternoon spent in heartfelt conversation. Even the chill before the fire is lit in the fireplace can be gently warmed by this glass.
TEXT／ITALIAKARA
※This article was supervised by an expert in Italian culture.
