November 1 and 2 are usually declared as special non-working holidays for Moms and Dads here in the Philippines. For kids, these are term or semestral breaks, which only means that the entire family can seize this opportunity to book their tickets for a much-anticipated family vacation.

However, these holidays are not like the others. They are rooted on religious traditions, which kids nowadays should learn and understand to keep the true spirit of these days alive.

There is no better way to explain the essence of these days than to involve the kids in activities which are not necessarily practiced all year round! Actions speak louder than words, so introduce these five activities that you can do on routine every November 1 and 2 from this year on!

November 1 is All Saints’ Day, Feast of the Saints, or Araw ng mga Santo. It is a day marked off to honor the saints, or people canonized or declared holy by the Catholic Church. Some of these saints are patrons, to whom devotees pray for intercessions.

As a family, you may learn about a saint or two by reading or watching a video about their life. Then, you may exchange insights on which parts of the saint’s life are worth emulating. This can be an educational and reflective moment for the entire family.

Catholics are expected to attend the Holy Mass on November 1, as it is a Holy Day of Obligation.

Invite your family and friends to prioritize this as this is one of the best ways to show your kids how distinct November 1 is as a holiday from the others.

November 2, on the other hand, is All Souls’ Day or Araw ng mga Kaluluwa. It is a day set apart to remember departed loved ones.

Hence, the best way for you to make your kids understand what this day means is to visit the grave of deceased loved ones. Spend time with your family and relatives to gather around the grave marker of your loved one to pray and share meals.

You may also involve your kids in buying candles and flowers in memory of your loved one. In case this is physically impossible due to distance, you may do other activities such as the following instead:

This is a very simple but widespread practice in honoring a loved one who has passed: lighting a candle placed in front of a deceased loved one’s photo.

You may do this at home and couple it with a moment of silence or prayers as a family.

Your kids might not have met some of your departed relatives. Bring out old, printed photos or show them the ones from your phone, and share fond memories you have with your deceased loved ones. It’s the best time to let your kids know the life your departed loved ones lived through the stories you tell them.

Though it has also been a practice gaining popularity in the Philippines, it is not a Filipino tradition to dress up with scary costumes during these times. To reiterate, November 1 and 2 are set in reverence to the saints and the departed, by means of carrying out religious and family traditions you can pass on to your kids.

What Filipino practices or traditions for November 1 and 2 do you keep until today? Share them with us in the comments below!