Celebrating the Days of the Dead

October 31- November 2

“One of my favorites! Looking forward to Lenten Book Club next year.”

What can Christians do with Halloween?

Until I began to research ” All Saints Day,” and “All Souls Day,” I had not realized that Halloween “ushered” in these very special days. Even as I write this, I cringe thinking that I may offend my Heavenly Father because even though all my life in my youth and as a mother dressing up her children for the occasion, in the back of my mind, it represented a very dark avenue. However, the eve or vigil of All Hallows (holy people), is actually referring to the Eve of all Saints. Pope Gregory III (731-741) is credited for establishing All Saints Day on November 1, and he dedicated it inside St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The days of October 31, November 1 and November 2 are sometimes referred to as Allhallowtide.

The Problem?

My little saying when things are just too much?… “People ruin everything.” Anything created or shared with good intention can be and often is taken to extremes to birth something negative. Two simple examples: Walt Disney, or Alfred Nobel. Their inventions mushroomed to the complete opposite of their intentions. In the old English Tradition of Halloween, poor English beggars went door to door of the wealthy promising to pray for their departed loved ones in exchange for soul cakes; the original “trick or treat.” Then, over time, the focus on the dead in the form of an evil content- zombies, mummies, devils- took on a negative image of Halloween. Decorations and costumes that evoke violence and horror, do not align with the Catholic traditions with All Saints and All Souls. On the other side, an abundance of lawn decorations, costumes and parties tend to put a pause on any meaningfulness till Thanksgiving. That is the sad fact of how I took in the holidays that have become “too much.” My focus was more on having the cutest display of Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations. I was sucked into the commercialism rather than the traditions. (I might also add that weddings today have become quite the competition, gravely focusing on the frivolous rather than the sacrament- yup I fell in that trap too.)

This year, if I can make a little difference with a seed of a blog in a vast ocean of internet forums, I’d like it to be this… Approach each month with presence and gratitude. Don’t let sacred, traditional days slip through the cracks. I can’t really educate people if I’m not an expert, but I can share in valuable conversation.