Without children around I don't do much for Halloween. Actually I haven't lived anywhere in the past 20+ years where kids even trick-or-treat! One advantage, I guess, of living in the country. I am intrigued, though, with the day after Halloween. In Mexico and in the Southwest, this day is celebrated as Dia De Los Muertos or Day of the Dead. These guys are representative of how Hispanic cultures celebrate the holiday. Several years ago I spent the holiday in Taos, NM and totally enjoyed all the festivities. Every shop window was filled with colorful displays of costumed skeletons, flowers, and skulls. The waitstaff at the fancy restaurant where I dined were fully in costume and into the celebration.The French also celebrate November 1st as La Toussaint or All Saints' Day. It is both a legal and a church holiday. According to my Larousse dictionary, "in France on 1 November people celebrate All Saints' Day by laying flowers (typically chrysanthemums) on family member's graves. People often drive long distances to reunite with their families around the tombs of loved ones."
I will neither party nor visit the graves of my loved ones today; I will instead pray for all those I love tonight at church.
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We do the same in Belgium, visiting the graves and putting flowers on the graves. But to me, that does not necessarily have to be on Toussaint, I'll visit my grandmothers grave next week. She's always in my heart, so ...
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