As the leaves fall and the nights lengthen, many traditions turn toward the people who came before us. Samhain (pronounced SOW-in) on October 31 – November 1 and Día de los Muertos on November 1-2 are two of the best known. Here’s what each one means, seven simple ancestor rituals you can do at home, and where to mark the season in Vancouver this year.
What is Samhain?
Samhain is a Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest and the beginning of the darker half of the year. Traditionally celebrated from sunset on October 31 into November 1, it’s often described as the Celtic New Year, a threshold when the veil between the living and the dead is said to be at its thinnest. Many of the customs we now associate with Halloween, from bonfires and costumes to carved lanterns, have roots in Samhain.
Today, people mark Samhain in many ways: honouring ancestors, reflecting on the year that’s ending, releasing what no longer serves them and setting intentions for the dark season ahead.
What is Día de los Muertos?
Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a Mexican tradition, now celebrated across Latin America and the diaspora, in which families welcome back the souls of their loved ones on November 1 and 2. Homes and cemeteries are decorated with ofrendas (altars) holding photos, favourite foods, candles, sugar skulls and bright orange marigolds (cempasúchil), whose colour and scent are said to guide the spirits home. UNESCO recognizes the Indigenous festivity dedicated to the dead as part of the world’s Intangible Cultural Heritage.
It is a joyful, living cultural and spiritual tradition, not a Mexican Halloween, so if it isn’t your heritage, the most respectful way to take part is to learn, attend community-led events and support the people who keep it alive.
Samhain vs. Halloween vs. Día de los Muertos
| Samhain | Halloween | Día de los Muertos | |
|---|---|---|---|
| When | Oct 31 – Nov 1 | Oct 31 | Nov 1 – 2 |
| Roots | Gaelic / Celtic | Christian All Hallows’ Eve, shaped by Samhain customs | Indigenous Mexican traditions blended with Catholic feast days |
| Focus | Ancestors, endings, the dark half of the year | Costumes, community, fun | Welcoming and celebrating loved ones who have died |
7 simple ancestor rituals for Samhain
You don’t need a lineage tradition or special tools to honour your ancestors. Choose one or two of these that feel right.
1. Create an ancestor altar
Clear a small surface and add photos or names of loved ones, a candle, a glass of water, and something from the season: apples, leaves, squash or a seasonal flower. Add an object that reminds you of each person. Spend a few minutes there each evening between Samhain and November 2.
2. Light a candle and speak their names
Say aloud the names of those you’re remembering, and one thing you’re grateful to each of them for. If you don’t know your ancestors’ names, you can honour “all those whose love made my life possible.”
3. Write a letter to an ancestor
Tell them what’s happening in your life, ask a question you wish you could have asked, or say what was left unsaid. Keep it on your altar, or burn it safely as an offering.
4. Hold a dumb supper
A traditional Samhain practice: share a meal in silence and set an extra place for the ancestors, with a small portion of food. Afterward, leave that plate outside or return it to the earth.
5. Take a seasonal gratitude walk
Walk somewhere you can feel the season turning and leave a simple, natural offering (a handful of seeds, a fallen leaf, a few words of thanks) for the land and those who cared for it before you.
6. Journal through the threshold
- What did the people before me survive so that I could be here?
- Which family patterns do I want to carry forward, and which am I ready to release?
- What is ending for me this year, and what wants to begin in the dark?
7. Release what you’re ready to let go
Write down a habit, fear or story you’re ready to leave in this year, then safely burn it, tear it up and compost it, or bury it. Many people pair this with the new moon ritual that follows in early November.
A note on safety: never leave candles unattended, and keep altars away from curtains and pets.
Honouring ancestors with care
Ancestor work can bring up grief and complicated family stories. Go gently, and remember that you can honour the wisdom of your line without honouring harm. If you’re drawn to deeper work, explore ancestral trauma healing or read about soul loss and soul retrieval.
In Vancouver we live and gather on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. Our guide to Indigenous protocol offers context on approaching ceremony with respect.
Where to mark Samhain and Day of the Dead in Vancouver (2026)
Times and details can change, so check each organizer’s page before you go.
- Souledelic Samhain: Friday, October 30, 6:30-10 pm at St. James Community Square (3214 West 10th Ave). An evening of forest-cacao ritual, ecstatic dance, sound bath and the co-creation of an ancestral offering to welcome the Celtic New Year.
- Day of the Dead Market, Granville Island: Saturday, October 31 (11 am-11 pm) and Sunday, November 1 (11 am-8 pm), with traditional crafts, music, food and workshops, part of Latin American Heritage Month.
- The Bowls at Jaybird with Faye Mallett: Sunday, November 1, 7:15 pm at Jaybird Kingsway Studio. A gentle sound bath to close the Samhain weekend.
- The Weaver’s Coven: A Samhain celebration Friday, October 30 from 7-9pm at WerkLab in Vancouver with Mara Branscombe.
Find more gatherings on our events calendar, and see our guide to sound baths in Vancouver.
Work with an ancestral healing practitioner
If you’d like support, several practitioners in our directory weave ancestral themes into their work, including Angela Prider and Jhaimy Alvarez-Acosta. For more seasonal rituals, read the power of ritual and our Lughnasadh rituals.
Samhain FAQ
When is Samhain in 2026?
Samhain is celebrated from sunset on Saturday, October 31, 2026 into Sunday, November 1. (In the Southern Hemisphere, it falls around April 30 – May 1.)
Is Samhain the same as Halloween?
No. Halloween grew partly out of Samhain customs, but Samhain is a seasonal and spiritual festival focused on ancestors and the turning of the year.
When is Día de los Muertos in 2026?
Sunday, November 1 and Monday, November 2, 2026.
What do you put on an ancestor altar?
Photos or names, a candle, water, seasonal food or flowers, and small objects that remind you of the people you’re honouring. There’s no wrong way; what matters is the intention.
Hosting a Samhain, ancestor or Day of the Dead gathering? List it on Head + Heart to reach people looking for meaningful ways to mark the season.
