Today, of course, is the Eve of All Saints, the Christian feast honoring the hallows in heaven, which is followed by the Nov. 2 Feast of All Souls, a commemoration of all the Christian dead. How this day ended up as a festival for spooks, monsters and demons is a long but interesting story. Suffice it to say that the old Druidic ways die hard.
No matter how modern and enlightened we consider ourselves, the primal fears of Death and the Nether World remain embedded in our psyche, and Halloween offers a safe way to mock them, if only for a day. It’s always been one of my favorite holidays.
Unfortunately this year I’m on assignment and won’t be on hand to dole out candy, ghost hunt, or otherwise taunt the Grim Reaper myself. However, in honor of the day, I promise to post a special treat just before the witching hour later tonight. (Hint: It involves a legend surrounding a certain famous personality who died 81 years ago today…)
In the meantime, if you haven’t checked out David Markland’s seasonal Creepy Los Angeles blog, I urge you to do so. He’s built a great, comprehensive site to help you enter into the spirit of the holiday, including an indepth interactive map of local haunts.
One more note: Die-hard enthusiasts who can’t get enough of the macabre will be happy to know the fun doesn’t have to end tonight. Olvera Street’s Day of the Dead celebration continues through Nov. 2. Happy haunting!
