While I like Halloween, I don't love it, and in recent years I haven's really gotten into it. I much prefer Groundhog's Day over the other 3 solar cross-quarter days (May Day, Aug 1, and Halloween).

Halloween last year found me hiking around the hills above Glendalough and that evening sitting in my room amazed at all the fireworks. Halloween in Ireland includes lots of bonfires and fireworks and not so heavy on the costumes/fancy dress and/or trick or treating. It is a good old fashioned fire holiday. Goodbye summer, hello winter.

I am a fan of All Saints Day, even though I did not grow up Catholic. In college instead of throwing a Halloween party, I had an All Saint's Day party on Nov. 1 where everyone had to come as their favorite saint. The best part is when the "Hermans" came dressed as the 80s metal band, Saint.

As I am a day late on a post about All Saints Day, I shall celebrate All Soul's Day or Dia de los Muertos today by going to lunch at El Camino Real and then attempting wake Alex from the dead mid-afternoon... ;op