Set at the end of autumn, Hallowtide is the season for acknowledging strife and remembering the dead. Although this is mostly a somber season, it also contains a few days of spooky celebration, such as Halloween.
A major theme of the Hallowtide season is that of death and debility. Although debility is not death, it is necessarily the loss of a certain kind of life (an abled one, and, in some cases, subsequently one which is visible, social, or political in such·&·such a manner). At the same time, debility leaves open the possibility for other kinds of life and the construction of new networks of solidarity. It is the opinion of this Calendar that mourning the former should be seen as a prerequisite, rather than a barrier, to accessing the latter. For more on the relationship between debility and death, see The Right to Maim by Jasbir K Puar.
The colour associated with Hallowtide is white; individual observances may feature additional colours. The colour red is commonly associated with remembrance and features prominently in several observances. The period from White Ribbon Day through Cathemas is known as Orange Week, and emphasizes those lost or harmed by genderbased violence. (For more information, see White Ribbon Day.)
Commonly referred to as “the holiday season”, Yuletide is the time of greatest merriment in the KIBI Calendar. Encompassing New Years Day, it is a time for charity, rejoining with family, and festive celebration during the darkest time of the year. The winter lights of Witchnight remain up for the duration of Yuletide (and beyond), lending them an association of “Yule lights” or “holiday lights”.
The colour associated with Yuletide is violet; traditional celebrations have also lent it an association with the colours of red and green.
A day of pranks and mischief.
Cause trouble! Rid yourself of any leftover, rotting produce.
Goosenight, also known as Mischief Night and a variety of other names, was originally considered a part of May Day celebrations in England, but it was moved to the end of the year for an unknown reason—perhaps because the rural agricultural context of May Day celebrations were not relatable to urban youths. In places which celebrate Bonfire Night, it is often celebrated the night before (04 November); otherwise, as in this Calendar, it is observed on the night preceding Halloween.
A day of role‐reversal and fantasy, in which the dead are said to walk amongst the living. Halloween offers an occasion for exploring ideas of death and violence in a safe, lighthearted, and casual manner, prior to the more serious observances which form the remainder of Hallowtide.
The emphasis of Halloween is on death, ghosts, and spirits. For other supernatural beings, see Witchnight. For a more lighthearted day of costuming, see Barbiemas.
Light fires, wear costumes, and attend friendly gatherings. On this day, children are given power over adults, horrifying appearances are appreciated over mundane ones, and everyone eats a lot of candy. There are a great many local and regional traditions for celebrating Halloween, and far be it from this Calendar to attempt to list them all. Celebrate in a manner appropriate to your community!
The name Halloween is derived from All Hallows’ Evening, as it takes place the evening before All Hallows’ Day (Hallowmas), an (originally) Christian holiday. Many of the traditions of Halloween, however, are of Celtic origin, drawing particularly from the Gaelic festival of Samhain. These were brought to North America by Irish and Scottish migrants, and the (now Americanized) customs subsequently became an important part of North American English culture. The holiday is now extremely popular in the United States and Canada, and has spread from these locations around the world.
A day of remembrance for important figures in your community’s history who have since passed away.
For personal relations and close friends, Soulmas is set aside instead.
Educate yourself on the history of your community, and on the persons who helped it grow into that which it is today. Remember those who have since died, and help to ensure that they continue to be recognized for their contributions.
Hallowmas is another name for All Hallows’ Day or All Saints’ Day, which is used in the Catholic tradition as a general day for commemorating saints (those who have made it to Heaven). Sainthood is not necessarily a formal concept in other Christian traditions, which celebrate this day in a manner similar to that above.
A day of remembrance for personal relations and close friends. While those commemorated on Hallowmas are typically welknown in one’s community, Soulmas is set aside for remembering and sharing the virtues of those who aren’t, celebrating past loved ones with those who they never got to know.
Speak with others about those close to you who have passed away, and listen in turn. This is an intimate holiday for better getting to know the people around you and those who have shaped them.
Soulmas is another name for All Souls’ Day, which is used in the Catholic tradition as a general day for commemorating the faithful departed (those who have died, but perhaps have not made it to Heaven yet). In other Christian traditions, it is sometimes celebrated in a manner similar to that described above.
A day of remembrance for loved ones who have lost their lives to violence or suicide.
Light a red candle, or post one on social media. The phrase G·N·U, followed by the names of those lost, is oft repeated.
The date of November 03 recalls Natalie Nguyen, a beloved member of the queer Mastodon community who lost her life to suicide on this day in 2017. A red candle emoji was developed as part of the Mutant Standard emoji set and quickly spread across the Mastodon‐compatible fediverse as a way of demonstrating grief and remembrance.
A day of remembrance for those dead or debilitated as a result of global warfare, regardless of nationality or military enlistment.
For remembering those harmed by globalism more generally, see N·30.
Educate yourself on the human and environmental costs of global warfare. Reaffirm your commitments to ending global conflict, and to opposing colonialist and militaristic endeavours. A white (not red) poppy is recommended for those who choose to wear one.
The date of 11 November commemorates the signing of the Armistice of Compiègne to end the fighting of World War I; it has become known variously as Remembrance Day (in the British Commonwealth) and Veterans’ Day (in the United States) after World War II extended its scope beyond simply recalling this single event.
The methods of warfare deployed in World War I were ecologically hazardous and severely disturbed the topsoil of the places where fighting occurred, leaving the poppy as one of the few plants which could still flourish there. The poppy thus came to symbolize the massive damage and loss of life which resulted from contemporary methods of warfare, and in fact had been growing in association as such since the Napoleonic Wars.
The patriotic poem “In Flanders Fields”, written near the beginning of the war when patriotism and morale were still high, was used after its conclusion to popularize the red Remembrance Poppy as a patriotic symbol, particularly via the following stanza :—
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Such patriotism, of course, completely misses the point. Organizations such as the Peace Pledge Union have subsequently introduced the white poppy as an explicitly antiwar symbol, and this Calendar follows in that tradition.
A day for recognizing the cost of genderbased violence in terms of human lives, and mourning those dead or debilitated. (This Calendar includes lives lost to suicide, as well as those lost or debilitated due to unsafe or unhealthy working or living conditions, among this number.)
Begins Orange Week, which extends through Cathemas.
Educate yourself on issues of genderbased violence and antiviolence work. Understand how genderbased oppression intersects with other factors, such as other systemic violences, disability, and mental health. Wear a white ribbon and/or the colour orange to show solidarity with the day, and denim to protest the idea that attire can justify mistreatment. Maintain these practices through Cathemas as part of Orange Week.
The colour orange is used to symbolize the spectrum of antiviolence work, from 🟥 emergency response to 🟨 education & advocacy. It has been used in this manner by a number of intimate partner violence and genderbased violence organizations, and is the official colour for the United Nations UNiTE campaign to end violence against women.
Building on the work of the United Nations, the White Ribbon Campaign was formed by a group of profeminist men in London, Ontario in response to the École Polytechnique massacre on 06 December 1989. In 2018, White Ribbon Australia moved White Ribbon Day from Cathemas to the Friday before. This Calendar celebrates White Ribbon Day on 19 November, six days prior to Cathemas, thus dedicating a full week to the issue of genderbased violence.
It so happens that 19 November is celebrated in some locations as International Men’s Day. It also so happens that men are disproportionately the instigators of genderbased violence, so this observance could be seen as a counter·observance of sorts.
A day of remembrance for trans people dead or debilitated due to genderbased violence.
Part of Orange Week.
Learn about, and remember, those trans people lost to violence over the past year. Engage in suicide education and prevention. Affirm the value of trans lives as something worthy of mourning.
Transgender Day of Remembrance was begun in 1999 to memorialize Rita Hester, a transgender woman, who was murdered on the previous year in Allston, Massachusetts. Although the original organizers solely emphasized remembering those trans people lost to murder, this Calendar also recognizes those dead or debilitated from other violences, such as systemic violence and suicide, on this day.
A day of remembrance for indigenous people dead or debilitated due to genderbased violence.
For remembering harm done to indigenous people by colonialism more generally, see Thingstaken. Part of Orange Week.
Wear red, and/or hang an article of red clothing as a visual reminder of absence. Educate yourself on the crisis of missing/murdered indigenous women and push for redress.
The name Day of Red Dress comes from the notable REDress Project by Jaime Black, aimed at drawing attention to the large number of missing and murdered indigenous women in Canada. The success of this project has lead the colour red, and red clothing in particular, to be widely recognized as a symbol of genderbased violence against indigenous people, especially women and girls.
The first Red Dress Day was held on 05 May, although it has been recognized on other dates since. This Calendar has moved it to 21 November as a part of Orange Week.
A day of remembrance for those who have experienced intimate partner violence and who are now dead or debilitated due to (the same, or subsequent) genderbased violence.
Part of Orange Week.
Wear purple and/or carry an umbrella. Educate yourself on the needs of survivors, and advocate for their increased agency. Understand how structural and cultural factors work to silence and endanger survivors, and recognize this as part of a larger trend of debilitation.
Although not all intimate partner violence is genderbased (i·e not all power inequities in an intimate partner situation are due to gender), genderbased issues profoundly compound intimate partner violence and make the lives of survivors more difficult. Umbrella Day is observed to recognize this dynamic.
The umbrella connotates simultaneous meanings of shelter, unity, and selfdefence. It has been used in an antiviolence context by, for example, the U·N·E·S·C·O “Orange the World” campaign, which states: « Under an umbrella, we stand united to fight physical, verbal and emotional violence, both online and offline and SAY NO TO VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN. » Because intimate partner violence often occurs in private settings, it requires strong cultural and community unity to eliminate.
A similar observance, the Day of Unity, was historically (since 1981) recognized by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence on the first Monday of October.
A day of remembrance for reproductive labourers, including care workers, dead or debilitated due to genderbased violence.
For (non‐re‐)productive labourers, see the following day, Rosiemas. Part of Orange Week.
Educate yourself on the nature of reproductive labour, care labour, and related topics, and understand the gendered dynamics which often characterize these positions.
In the Catholic tradition, 23 November is the Feast of St Felicity. Aside from the fact that she was (probably) buried on this day, virtually nothing is known about her actual life. However, according to (improbable) tradition, she was the mother of seven sons, all of whom are celebrated as Christian martyrs on 10 July. St Felicity asked for, and was granted, the boon that she not be killed before her children, such that she could comfort them through their torture and death.
Reproductive labour, including but not limited to household/domestic labour, has a long history of being forced upon women with poor working conditions and little or no compensation. It is, thus, a frequent site of genderbased violence. Rather than romanticize this state of affairs (as with, e·g, Mothers Day), this Calendar dedicates Flissmas as a period of critical examination and remembrance for the sacrifices that this work often entails.
A day of remembrance for productive labourers dead or debilitated due to genderbased violence.
Part of Orange Week.
Educate yourself on the history of women and gender minorities in labour and how economic forces work to position them in sites of increased precarity through to the present day.
The shortage of male labourers during World War I and World War II led to the employment of a large number of women—popularly known as “Rosies”—in jobs which had traditionally been seen as mens work, such as manufacturing. These jobs were frequently hazardous, underpaid, offered little security, and after the wars ended, the women who held them were quickly forced back into lower‐paying work or the home. See, for example, the Canary Girls of World War I; for similar abuses during the Interwar Period, the Radium Girls of the 1920s.
Instead of romanticizing these labour abuses—as the 21 March Rosie the Riveter Day designated by the United States Congress does, for example—this Calendar situates Rosiemas in the midst of Orange Week as a time of critical mourning and reflection for those harmed through genderbased violence in the workplace.
A day of remembrance for political activists dead or debilitated due to genderbased violence.
Part of Orange Week.
Educate yourself on the history and involvement of women and gender minorities in important political movements, who are often not recognized, and especially those who were made to suffer for their work. Ensure that their lives and contributions are not erased.
Cathemas is formed from the union of two observances, which happen to share a date of 25 November. The first of these is the Feast of St Catherine of Alexandria, who was probably not a real person, but has been nonetheless popularly venerated on this day since mediæval times. According to tradition, she was an educated woman who spoke out against Emperor Maxentius and was subsequently put to death, perhaps after refusing his hand in marriage.
The second observance is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, established by the United Nations General Assembly in memory of the assassination of the very real Mirabal sisters, activists in the Dominican Republic who organized against Rafael Trujillo, the man in control of the government at that time.
Although the United Nations celebrates this day as Orange Day, this Calendar celebrates Orange Day as White Ribbon Day six days prior. Cathemas is the culmination of a week of remembrance and reckoning regarding genderbased violence.
A day of remembrance for indigenous peoples dead or debilitated as a consequence of colonialism.
Understand the presentday struggles of contemporary indigenous movements, educate yourself on their historical situation, and work for justice.
The fourth Thursday in November is celebrated in the United States as Thanksgiving, and also hosts a variety of counter·observances such as Unthanksgiving and the National Day of Mourning. In addition, the following day is recognized in some places as Native American Heritage Day. As a fixed observance, Thingstaken is intended as a substitute for these days.
A day marking the beginning of the darkest season of the year, in which demons, vampires, &·c are said to thrive.
Decorate the house and yard with lights, to remain up until Candlemas. Tell scary stories and have a night of merriment.
In the Catholic tradition, 29 November is Saint Andrew’s Eve. It begins the darkest part of the year and can be seen as the start of wintry celebrations.
A day of remembrance for those dead or debilitated as a consequence of globalist economic policy.
Educate yourself on the consequences of globalism and on the harm perpetuated by the Global North onto the Global South. Reflect, mourn, and protest the harm caused.
30 November is the anniversary of the Battle of Seattle, a 1999 protest against the World Trade Organization in Seattle, Washington and a precursor to many later United States protest movements.
A day of remembrance for those dead or debilitated as a result of the aids pandemic.
Educate yourself on H·I·V/aids, its historical impact, and contemporary issues pertaining to the disease. Push for broader access to medication and healthcare for those affected, and promote preventative measures.
World Aids Day was begun on 01 December 1988 to help destigmatize the disease and increase public awareness. Day Without Art began the following year, on the same day, to recognize the impact that aids has had on the artistic community. The name was changed to Day With(out) Art ten years later, after it became clear that interventions were more effective than closures when it came to increasing awareness through cultural heritage sectors.
A day of disguise and truth, in which identities are hidden and secrets are revealed.
Dress up in costume and/or play roleplaying games. Free yourself of any secrets you might be harbouring prior to Yuletide.
In the Catholic tradition, 04 December is the Feast of St Barbara, who was probably not a real person. According to tradition, she was pursued by her father for being a Christian, saved through a long sequence of miracles, and finally beheaded by him. Middle Eastern Christians celebrate this day as Eid il‐Burbura, where people dress up in costume and travel house‐to‐house, similar to Halloween celebrations elsewhere.
A day of preparation for Yuletide.
Set out boots for Santa Claus, to be filled with gifts. Bake cookies and other sweets!
05 November is Sinterklaasavond, or (in the Catholic tradition) Saint Nicholas’s Eve. Traditions vary by region, but this Calendar celebrates Sinterklaas festivities and the start of the Yuletide season on the following day, Clausmas (see there for more), reserving Clauseen as a day of preparation and the final day of Hallowtide.
A festive day of gift‐giving and family gathering, and the first day of Yuletide festivities!
Open presents left by Santa Claus. Celebrate the start of the Yuletide season.
06 November is Sinterklaas Day, or (in the Catholic tradition) the Feast of St Nicholas. Many of the traditions of this day are appropriated from Anglophonic traditions of Santa Claus, which were themselves originally inspired by the Dutch Sinterklaas and English Father Christmas.
A day for recognizing the importance of peace, goodwil, and human rights.
Read the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and discussion there·of. Recognize those in your community who have furthered the cause of human rights or welbeing.
In Sweden, 10 December is known as Alfred Nobel Day, and is the day on which Nobel Prizes are awarded. Alfred Nobel was a Swedish inventor whose will dedicated the vast majority of his fortune to establishing the Nobel Prize after his death on 10 December 1896, for the purpose of annually recognizing « those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind ».
10 December also is the anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and is subsequently recognized by the United Nations as Human Rights Day.
The KIBI Calendar is a formal collection of observances with fixed dates in the Gregorian calendar system, organized into ten broad seasons with alternating lengths of 36 or 37 days. It is intended for use in an English, Northern Hemisphere context, and may not be applicable in other situations. Readers are encouraged to extend this calendar with their own dates, as well as drop those which do not work for them.
The inspirations for this calendar are primarily events rooted in English culture, including English Catholicism, and more contemporary occurences of varying global import. While recognizing the import of Christianity on English celebratory culture, this is not a Christian calendar: It avoids observing major Christian events (such as Christmas), and the suffix ‐mas is used without implication of any actual Christian mass. Some saints days and other observances with Catholic origins have been preserved, when there is a strong non‐religious argument for doing so—particularly in cases where the saints, themselves, are fictional.
The KIBI Calendar does not observe events which do not have a fixed Gregorian date. Some observances may be moved to different dates than they are widely recognized on. Others may be inventions. The hope is simply for this calendar to be a starting point for discussions, remembrances, and celebrations on the dates recorded within.
Feedback regarding the KIBI calendar should be sent to its author. This calendar is a living document, and dates may be added, deleted, or moved at any time.