Samhain takes place the night of October 31st through November 1st and is representative of our ancestors, nostalgia, perseverance and balance
The word Samhain can be translated to "summer's end"
History:
The Celtic year began with Samhain. It marked the "end" of the lighter half of the year and thus was considered the beginning. Vegetation started dying and "death" was literally in the air. It was a time when the veil between this world and the otherworld was thought to be at its thinnest. The dead could return to the land of the living and likewise, some of the living, especially poets were able to enter the otherworld through the doorways of the "sidhe", holes in the ground covered by a large stone like Poulnabrone Dolmen or neolithic burial chambers like Maeshowe in Scotland and The Hill of Tara in Ireland. The Hill of Tara is specifically aligned with the Samhain sunrise.
Their deities known as the Sidhe or Aos Si or "people of the mounds" were thought to be especially active. It's easy to see why this time of year was considered so special as many describe fall as a time when there is an intangible feeling of magic and nostalgia in the air. Samhain, along with it's opposite "light" festival Beltane, were considered the most magical of their celebrations as they signified the beginning of each, the dark and light halves of the year.
Samhain is the only celebration that doesn't have substantial evidence of being associated with one specific deity more than others however, many people speculate it could have been The Morrigan. This would make sense considering the darker elements of her persona and being associated with death or the journey to the afterlife.
Halloween is another name for Samhain and a tradition that masses of Irish immigrants brought with them to America, especially during the potato famine when it really gained traction as a mainstream family tradition. Without a doubt, one of the most prominent symbols of present day Halloween are Jack O'Lanterns and trick or treating. Originally, the Irish would use turnips and gourds as well as lay out milk for their ancestors to welcome them or give as an offering to their deities. They laid out milk, possibly for the Kellas cats or Cat Sith. These were black cats thought to be witches that had the ability to turn into a cat nine times. If you left an offering of milk they would likely bless your home verses curse it if there was none. This is also likely where the folklore of a cat having nine lives came from. When the Irish came to America, they transitioned to pumpkin carving simply because they were readily available here, bigger and easier to carve. Traditionally, a feast would be prepared and the family would leave a chair or multiple chairs out for their deceased loved ones who were thought to be visiting. Family may have frequented their ancestors grave sites and left offerings there as well. If you had to go out on the town, you wore a "costume" which could have been as simple as a shirt over your head in order to blend in with the ghosts and ghouls roaming about. This evolved as well into full out dressing in costume and going house to house to ask for an "offering" of candy.
Ways to Celebrate:
Halloween: Participate in Halloween, the modern version of Samhain! Dress up, attend a party, go trick or treating with your children, friend's children or nieces and nephews! Pass out candy to children if you live in a neighborhood.
Ancestry: Visit and tend to the gravesite of a loved one. Decorate their gravesite with a fall inspired offering of flowers or dried herbs. Find a quiet place and think of your favored memories with them. Look through old pictures. Allow yourself to take this time to feel, remember and appreciate their existence and continued importance in your life and memories. This can be extended to an actual ancestors alter made of photographs, heirlooms, candles and favorite bits of other memorabilia on a dresser or alter table. Take some time to research your ancestry or pay a visit to your elders to hear their stories of your family or family history you may have never heard before.
Nature walk and meditation: Take a meditative walk through nature enjoying the last days of warmer weather and greenery. Take notice to the ever changing beautiful details of fall. If so desired, collect natural objects to build crafts at home, add to a fall inspired altar or make a temporary nature mandala during your outing. Take walks as needed to reconnect.
Decorate: Decorate your home or space with seasonal symbols and colors of nature. Common decorations are the cauldron, apples, nuts, berries, turnips, photos of ancestors or deceased loved ones and the colors black, orange and red. Sometimes less is more. Focus on quality decorations verses quantity. Find those unique items that have a stronger meaning for you. Set up your dresser or altar accordingly.
Connect: Connect with others. Prepare a Samhain dinner. Listen to appropriate seasonal music. Light candles. Some common dishes are boxty cakes, cheesy potatoes, potato or pumpkin pie, spice or Irish cakes and chocolate apples or another apple related treat. Some prepare a favored dish of their deceased loved one. If you're a stickler for tradition, leave a seat open for your deceased loved one(s) as well. Tradition would also be to dine in silence and reflect on your ancestors. Some prefer to tell stories of the deceased and like most dinners, have it filled with easy conversation and laughter instead of silence. It's up to you! Attend a pagan social event.
Offering: Prepare a basket of seasonal items or a small seasonal gift to give to someone in need , your neighbor, your child's teacher, a community leader or the mail carrier. Buy someone's coffee or meal behind you at the drive in. Give back to nature by donating to a charity or participate in a community, park or coastal clean up program. Put out bird seed or a basket of fruit, berries or nuts for local wildlife. Be creative in your offering and method of "giving back".
Bonfire: Kindle a bonfire outside if possible, although indoors is fine as well. Reflect on your life past and present keeping a positive mind frame. Samhain is also about perseverance. Internalize that getting through tougher or scarier times can ultimately shape us into a better, more stronger person with the right mind set. Write down a negative habit or vice you would like to end this year and throw the paper into the flames when you are ready as you imagine release. You can meditate looking into the fire, or sit with your eyes closed imagining a better "you" coming into fruition. If you feel like moving, you can meditate while moving around the fire clockwise. When you encounter problems later with your issue, imagine the fire and the literal and symbolic end of your issue to strengthen your resolve and promote your continued success. A drum circle would also be a fun activity if possible with family or friends! Many people write a list of their goals or wishes for the coming season, then ceremoniously burn it in the fire sending those wishes into the otherworld.
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