Traditionally We Pay Tribute To Our Departed Than Celebrate Halloween

Halloween celebration is just new here in the Philippines and in fact a very commercialized one at that since it’s the time shopping malls promote their costumes for sale. It’s all good really. As it’s something new to look forward to for kids of all ages, especially those who wants to dress up.

My little Snow White! Dressed up for her school Halloween party!

Here in the Philippines, what is sought for celebration is the All Souls Day and All Saints Day (November 1 and November 2 respectively) and is called Undas in the local language. Owing it to our Catholic upbringing being the largest Catholic Asian country, we have this kind celebration.

All Saints day is the day we remeber all the saints in heaven. All Souls day is the day we remember our dead. Some myths about this day is that this is the time when the souls of the departed visits the earth and their loved ones. So offering prayers for them, lighting up candles for them and visiting their grave will make the visit much pleasant.

This is usually one of the days when families gather, just like during Christmas and New Years. They gather at the grave or just at home have some feast, offer mass and light some candles. It’s ironic sometimes that some families are only able to gather when someone gets married or someone dies, Undas and Christmas aside.

However, since the times are changing the tradition changes too, and I think this year, since there is no long weekend or long holiday this Undas, some would just attend mass or just light candles at their homes since they can no longer visit their loved ones grave.

Which brings me to missing my dad again. Because these were one of the times I remember him lining up a dozen candles naming each one of them to represent a soul of a departed close relatives and friends. I use to watch him do it and ask who was the candle for. Now I will do this tradition alone, with him as one of the loved ones I am gonna light a candle for. Sigh.

How about you, what do you do during Undas/All souls day? Do you have such tradition from where you are?

Did you know that you can now light a candle online?

5 thoughts on “Traditionally We Pay Tribute To Our Departed Than Celebrate Halloween

  1. @ Dragonstar I am very poor in world history , so I really don’t know what are the celtic countries are (but I will google later :)) Thanks for the new knowledge.

    @ Polly yeah she is so adorable in that Snow White costume the colors just fits her so well.

    Halloween is such a new thing here and it’s just mall and bars events really than the house to house trick or treating thing.

  2. Your little one looks adorable in her Snow White Costume.

    We don’t usually do a remembrance of those passed at this time of year. We all enjoy Halloween, but we love the harvest connection with the earth and the changing seasons. I try to reflect on my goals and where I’ve taken my life, or allowed myself to be taken at each new season.

    Good ideas and great post.

  3. In Celtic countries, before Christianity, this time of year was for remembering the departed. Whatever name is used, the tradition continues.

  4. Wow! I didn’t know that. I though everywhere else in the world has Halloween!

  5. You know that’s exactly the same in Belgium, Germany and Italy (the countries I know best) Halloween just came up maybe 3 years ago in Belgium I never new it before either !

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