Hallow's eve

Just sharing a bit of information about a tradition and one of the cultures of the Philippines that I've gotten used to since my younger days: visiting my dead relatives' graves on November 1st. Supposedly, November 1st is All Saint's Day and 2nd is All Soul's Day. I can still vividly remember my grade school teacher telling me that the graves are supposed to be visited on the 2nd, not the first, for we should be commemorating the Saints. Instead, we're observing it as the All Soul's day.

You could see people camping in the cemeteries if they come from provinces or from far places. Staying up all night is a sight that should not be found surprising as well, for during these times, it's just normal for these people to do these things for this is how they pay homage to the dead. For they consider this the day to remember their dead loved ones and pray for their souls.

Now, what these people don't really celebrate is Halloween, a holiday where kids wear costumes and knock doors and get candies. Trick-or-treat, as it is fondly called. For adults who are not into candies and visiting their neighbors, they can attend a Costume party and still enjoy the holiday.

Even though Halloween means Hallow's Eve or the day before All Saints' or All Hallow's day, it seems that most people in the west celebrate this night before the actual day or reason of the holiday, which I think, loses the meaning behind it.

But, this is how things are, and I wouldn't mind being a part of this as well; for it is always important to adapt to a country that is completely different from where you came from. Who knows, I might attend a party and wear a costume as well. Although, I'm still not sure what to wear for that.

On another note, when I do think of Halloween, I also think of DOT―Daylight Ordinary Time (or in Filipino, Dating Oras Tanga*) where we adjust our clocks and go back an hour. I guess DOT also serves as a reminder to people up north for the coming (and sometimes dreaded) winter. And when we think of winter, we think of Christmas and the New Year ahead of us. Ah, how time flies really fast.

*Dating Oras Tanga is taken from P.M. Junior's Pugad Baboy comic book series. It literally means 'Back to the old time, stupid' in english.