All Hallows Eve / Samhain –October 31st
All Hallows Day, or All Saints Day, is Holy Day for the Catholic Church on November 1st, and so All Hallows Eve is the night before that “Hallowed” Day, when dark spirits may roam free for a few hours before things get holy.
Before the 8th century, when All Saints Day began, the Irish celebrated Samhain, an ancient celebration at the end of the harvest where people wore costumes and lit bonfires to ward off the ghosts that haunted on darker days. All Saints Day came about when Pope Gregory III selected November 1st as the day to honor all martyrs, whether they were known or unknown. The Catholic holiday reinforced the pagan holiday, which eventually became more widely celebrated with treats and ciders and spooky masks.
Autumn is a time that cultures around the world choose to honor or acknowledge their dead. As leaves fall and the weather turns brisk, it is often the last holiday in the northern hemisphere where crowds of people have outdoor activities. Samhain is still celebrated in Ireland with the Púca Festival including bonfires and shows in the town of Trim as well as a long walk in neighboring Athboy up a hill and past generous neighbors who hand out treats and hot drinks to pilgrims from all over the country as they march up to the 2,000-year-old site of the Celtic holiday ritual. They have a couple of good food trucks up there now, but otherwise it’s much the same event, and well worth the trip (bring boots and an umbrella).
Music Du Jour: Halloween Party Songs or Halloween Rock and Metal
Films Du Jour: Top 5 Halloween Movies
- A Nightmare Before Christmas
- The Addams Family (1991)
- Halloween (1978)
- Scary Movie (2000)
- Sleepy Hollow (1999)
Snacks Du Jour: 50+ Halloween Appetizers
Miscellaneous:
- Top 10 most popular costumes in 2021 rated by FrightGeist
- Halloween games for your party
Cocktail Du Jour – Witches Brew
This recipe is from a acouplecooks.com
- 2 oz Midori Mellon Liquor
- 1 oz Cointreau
- 0.5 oz lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- Dry Ice* for a smoking glass
Add Mellon Liquor, Cointreau, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker. If NOT using dry ice, shake with ice to chill. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a skewered cherry.
Mocktail Du Jour – Witches Brew Mocktail
- 2 oz honeydew melon juice
- 1 oz orange syrup
- 0.5 oz lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- Dry Ice* for a smoking glass
Add melon juice, orange syrup, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker. If NOT using dry ice, swirl with ice to chill. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a skewered cherry.
*Working with Dry Ice safety tips
Beer Du Jour
New Belgium VooDoo Ranger IPA
Wine Du Jour
Witching Hour Red Blend
