Descriptions of Other Holidays and Observances

All Soul's Day/Day of the Dead
(Latin American, Catholic)
All Soul's Day is a time for the living to celebrate their connection with the immortal souls of the dead. In predominantly Catholic communities in Latin America, this festival is called the Day of the Dead. Graves are newly decorated, and there is a carnival atmosphere.

May Day (Various)
Originally a pagan holiday celebrating the Celtic fire god, Bel, May Day was outlawed by the church when England was Christianized. Nonetheless, public celebrations of the spring planting and fertility continued until the 1700s. In the 20th century, the labor movement reclaimed May Day as a celebration of working class solidarity.