You may or may not have known that the holiday Halloween, which we celebrate in the Western world on October 31st, actually kicks off a three-day season called Hallowtide—amongst other titles. Halloween, or All Hallows Eve, precedes Hallowmas (November 1st), more commonly referred to as All Saints’ Day, which is followed up by All Souls’ Day (November 2nd). What began as the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain evolved into a means to worship the Catholic martyrs and eventually took the commercialized form we see today. You can learn more about the history of Halloween by reading this fascinating article (courtesy of History.com).

Also worth noting is that the latter two of these three days comprise the Mexican holiday of Día de los Muertos, Day of the Dead: a celebration in which deceased loved ones are remembered and honored through gathering with family, eating traditional dishes, and building altars at which to pray for past ancestors.

Wherever you are in the world, the global coronavirus pandemic has forced us to reconsider how we celebrate the conventional holidays. Convening in person has become a liability (in large numbers or without proper precautions), and to some, the idea of passing out candy to children traveling door to door with a respiratory virus on the loose brings cause for concern (with good reason). And without a doubt, the mental strain of accommodating new lifestyles to protect ourselves, and each other, leaves us craving some sense of normalcy.

I hope these literary stirrings provide a pleasant distraction during these unprecedented times. Take care!

Yours in R’lyeh,

Tony LaMalfa