By Mary O’KEEFE

Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 are Samhain, or Samain. This is the end of summer and beginning of the winter festival that can trace its Irish/Celtic heritage back thousands of years. It is the foundation on which our present day Halloween rests. 

“Ancient Celts believed the boundary between the physical world and the Otherworld thinned during Samhain, allowing spirits, ancestors and fairies to cross over. It fell around 1 November, but the festival began on the night before, the eve that became Halloween,” according to newgrange.com.

The festival comprises many traditions including setting food aside for departed loved ones and using disguises and masks to confuse and conceal oneself from the spirits that roam the Earth on this night. 

Bonfires were also part of this season and sharing food with those in need was also an important part of the day … and night. 

At its center is time set aside to honor and remember those who have passed away. 

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a Mexican holiday and is very similar to Samhain. It is recognized from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 and is also known as All Saints Day. 

“According to tradition, the gates of heaven are opened at midnight on Oct. 31 and the spirits of children can rejoin their families for 24 hours. The spirits of adults can do the same on Nov. 2,” according to history.com.

These rituals also trace their heritage back thousands of years. 

“The Aztecs and other Nahua peoples living in what is now Mexico held a cyclical view of the universe and saw death as an integral, ever-present part of life. Upon dying, a person was believed to travel to Chicunamictlán, the Land of the Dead. Only after getting through nine challenging levels, involving a journey of several years, could the person’s soul finally reach Mictlán, the final resting place,” according to history.com.

There are several rituals observed at this time of the year as nature turns from the rebirth of spring and summer. 

I understand why this time of the year feels like the veil is thin. The earth really does feel like it is older and slows down. 

I have written about Samhain before in this column. 

I was never a fan of Halloween. My mom and grandma didn’t like for us to go out on this night. They believed the spirits we met along the way would not be kind. I mean real spirits not kids dressed up in costumes. 

My grandma would have afternoon tea and talk about family members who had passed. She would share stories of them that made me feel like I knew them … even though they had crossed over long before I was born. So Halloween to me was a time to remember them and to respect the day. 

That made me not a great Halloween party guest. My husband though lives for costumes, spooky houses and everything Halloween, so my kids really celebrated. 

As I age Halloween – Samhain – has become even more of a melancholy festival (yes, I have been told this is a common Irish trait). I see this is a festival that asks us to remember those who have crossed over; not to be sad but to celebrate their souls. 

So this is what I hope you can do for this year’s Samhain. Have fun disguising yourself from the spirit world, get lots of food (mostly candy) and take time to share the stories of those who have crossed over as they peek through the veil. 

Rain is in our future! There is a slight chance of rain today and Friday but NOAA is pretty certain there will be rain on Saturday afternoon through Sunday. Though NOAA is not certain how much rain there will be it looks like a wet Samhain/Halloween. 

The temperatures will very likely fall and there may even be temperatures a little like a Southern California winter – in the low to middle 60s starting today through Sunday. It will be closer to 70 degrees on Monday and Tuesday.