Things You Didn't know you Needed to Know!

 Being raised in the Catholic tradition my mom always celebrated November 1st ... All Saints Day. We went to mass and prayed for our loved ones who passed ahead of us. They were "saints" to us! When my children were in elementary school there were a few years where they were required to come dressed as their favorite saint in lieu of the traditional Halloween costumes. So what did we have in the school parade??? A whole lot of kids that looked liked shepard's and mini "Marys." I think even the school thought this was pretty boring since they switched back!

I've attached a brief description of Autumnal traditions and lore's.

  
 All Saints' Day - 1 November

In the year 835 AD the Roman Catholic Church made 1st November a church holiday to honour all the saints. This feast day is called All Saints' Day.

All Hallows

All Saints' Day used to be known as All Hallows (Hallow being an old word meaning Saint or Holy Person). The feast day actually started the previous evening, the Eve of All Hallows or Hallowe'en.

Christians remember all the saints

On Saints' Day, Christians remember all 'men of good will' (saints), great ones and forgotten ones, who have died through the ages.

Saints are men and women from all ages and all walks of life, who were outstanding Christians. Some - the martyrs - died for their faith. All of them are honoured by the church.

Hallowtide

All Saints' Day, together with All Souls' Day are know collectively as Hallowtide. 

 I have lived in Southern California all my life and we are blessed to have a rich Hispanic heritage/culture. I love their food, their commitment to family and they also are extremely talented artistically. In their culture they celebrate the "Day of the Dead" on November 1st. 

           Day of the Dead

Catrinas
Catrinas, one of the most popular figures of the Day of the Dead celebrations at Mexico
Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de Muertos) is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and around the world in other cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. It is particularly celebrated in Mexico, where the day is a bank holiday. The celebration takes place on October 31, November 1 and November 2, in connection with the Christian triduum of Hallowmas: All Hallows' Eve, All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day.[1][2] Traditions connected with the holiday include building private altars called ofrendas honoring the deceased using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed and visiting graves with these as gifts. They also leave possessions of the deceased. Scholars trace the origins of the modern Mexican holiday to indigenous observances dating back hundreds of years and to an Aztec festival dedicated to the goddess Mictecacihuatl. The holiday has spread throughout the world: In Brazil Dia de Finados is a public holiday that many Brazilians celebrate by visiting cemeteries and churches. In Spain there are festivals and parades, and, at the end of the day, people gather at cemeteries and pray for their dead loved ones. Similar observances occur elsewhere in Europe, and similarly themed celebrations appear in many Asian and African cultures.

What ever your traditions are, Celebrate the joy of living!

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