Which October 31 observance is listed as related to Day of the Dead?

The October 31 observance related to Day of the Dead is All Hallows' Eve.

All Hallows’ Eve is the traditional Christian name for the evening before All Saints’ Day, and it is more commonly known today as Halloween. Its date is October 31, immediately preceding November 1. The name “Halloween” developed from “All Hallows’ Evening” or “All Hallows’ Eve,” with “hallow” meaning a holy person or saint.

The observance belongs to Allhallowtide, a Western Christian season focused on remembering saints and the dead. Day of the Dead usually follows on November 1 and 2, so the dates overlap within the same broader calendar period. Mexican Día de Muertos also incorporates Indigenous traditions and local customs, making it related to—but not simply another name for—Halloween.

Another frequent mix-up is treating Halloween and Day of the Dead as interchangeable. Halloween is associated with the vigil of All Saints’ Day and has developed distinctive customs such as costumes and trick-or-treating. Day of the Dead emphasizes family remembrance, offerings, decorated altars, cemetery visits, and foods associated with the departed.