Did Your Ancestors Celebrate Allhallowtide?

Allhallowtide,  31 Oct - 2 Nov
Halloween, 31 Oct, begins the three days of Allhollowtide. Keep in mind that this historic 3 day celebration encircles the historic New Year timeframe of 1 November. The historic New Year was traditionally the transition from harvest to the cold days of winter. Of the three observed days, Halloween is the most secular. 

Halloween, 31 Oct
Why Did Our Ancestors Want/ Need  Halloween? Halloween has around for over 2000 years. It is an evolved celebration of the Celts festival of Samhain. It was the eve of the new year, 1 Nov., for northern France, UK and Ireland. Since the belief was that ghosts of the dead returned to earth on the eve of the New Years, the traditional practice was to ward off the dead, ghosts and spirits using bonfires. These bonfires were also used for the community to prepare the final harvest. 

Read here for the Origins of Halloween Traditions as penned by Heather Thomas of the Library of Congress: The Origins of Halloween Traditions.

Samhain, a Celts / Druid early practice, was not welcomed in America. The California Dispatch practically denounced it and dismissed it as a dying celebration.  Yet, This 1881 news article entitled  All-Hallow Eve, provided us with  memorable quotes

"...no generation of men is altogether
separated from earlier generations."

And take a look at the last paragraph:

1881 The California Dispatch

All Saints' Day, 1 November
So we know Halloween, or Hallows Eve, ushered in the New Year on Nov 1. This day, known as All Saints Day, is a day to observe the lives of the many saints for whom there is no specific feast day during the year.

Brisbane Telegraph, 1935

All Saints Day, and All Souls Days, became most popular during WWI.  

All Saints Day & All Souls Day, The National WWI Museum and Memorial

All Souls Day, 2 November
It is said that All Souls' Day is a "family history day" and a favored amongst family historians. It's a family holiday, filled with sharing memories and visiting cemeteries. Whereas, All Saint's Day honors the lives of Saints, and martyrs, the following day, Nov. 2, marks a day of prayer, and remembrance of faithful relatives, friends and strangers who have departed. 

It must be noted that All Souls' Day has been observed on November 2 since the 11th century. The Eastern Orthodox Church, the Eastern Catholic Church, and the Eastern Lutheran Church, along with the East Syriac Rite observe All Souls’ Day during the Easter Season.

Whereas, El Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dad, also considered All Souls Day, is honored between Oct 28 -Nov 6, depending on the country, .

Be sure to read An Introduction to All Souls' Day: Family History's Favorite Holiday by David Nielsen.

Kathleen Brandt, a3Genealogy