We’re halfway through September, chilly weather is on its way. As a midwesterner, I’m grateful that winter doesn’t scare me. Sure, some people flock south to escape the cold, but I really and truly enjoy the changing seasons. Our summers are actually pretty pleasant. As I’ve covered before, summer is peak tourism in many destinations across Europe which is why I like to stay home in Wisconsin! With that, I’m able to witness and experience different holidays in different parts of the world.
October in Ireland
Spooky season is upon us, as you know. I went to Ireland in October a few years ago with a friend. Ireland celebrates the Celtic tradition of Samhain (pronounced SAH-win) which is our precursor to Halloween. At its core before Christianity, it’s an ancient Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, traditionally celebrated from sunset on October 31 to sunset on November 1. That said, Samhin is more recognized than Halloween for the Irish and Scottish people. Tourist or not, it provides the October calendar with plenty to and see!
When visiting with a friend, I appreciated that the atmosphere wasn’t as commercialized for Halloween as the States. My friend and I exclusively planned spooky activities. While we didn’t make it to the famous Puca Festival, we visited cemeteries, ruins, and took a tour through a crypt with caskets hundreds of years old! Just to honor the traditions in authenticity, and completely ignoring the overdone pumpkin candy slogans. Dublin had its own Halloween festival, but it was short-lived. Just a few hours of a parade, a DJ, and some street activities was all. That seemed to be more for the tourists than the locals. Several other villages had their own Samhain celebrations with traditional foods and crafts. I’d love to go back and explore more. The whole autumn vibe of Samhain feels incredible while you’re there. The locals know it better than (again commercialized) Halloween because the centuries it was celebrated throughout the land.
That trip was memorable in the way I was able to see a different view of a popular holiday. I think that Americans have a capitalistic/commercialized experience of holidays. When going to a destination in which that holiday is rooted, one can see the origins and experience its authenticity. That said, some of my favorite trips have been during the off-season during a holiday. I’ll have more stories involving holiday travel that I’ll share in future newsletters!
If you’re interested, I have curated itineraries in my store! https://meridiantravelretreats.com/store2/
Follow me, I’ll see you out there!
