While these days All Holies begins on the eve of October 31st, and Remembrance on November 11, both were originally part of a festive period connected with the Blood Moon. This marked the final closure of the harvest with the slaughter of cattle for smoked meats to endure the winter months. Mythically, this was seen as a time of nature's gradual withdrawal into underworld, often represented by the old stooped crone gathering a bundle of kindling in the forest. It was believed that with this transition, the spirits of the underworld had rule of the roost. Thus the All Holies feast was held to honour the dead; particularly the ancestors, family and kindred. Their graves were decorated with offerings of grains, apples, nuts and other things the season had at it's avail. Torches were lit for the spirits to find their way to these offerings. It is a time of family reunions and kindred gatherings to recount the stories of old. Council elders, chiefs and priests were usually elected at this time for the ancestors to be present. These spirits were formally invited to attend the sitting with a special place set for them at the head of the table. The ceremony was usually concluded with a special solemn eulogy for those who had fallen in battle. Although these holidays have long since been Christianized, the customs haven't really changed much. Tables are still set with place at the head of the table for those past and honoured with a raising of one's glasses in a toast to their memory.
A beautiful example of a powerful old Germanic warrior's eulogy was the one spoken in the film "The Thirteenth Warrior":
Lo, there do I see my father.
Lo, there do I see my mother and my sisters and my brothers.
Lo, there do I see the line of my people back to the beginning.
Lo, they do call to me. They bid me take my place among them
in the halls of Valhalla where the brave may live forever.
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