Samhain/Hallowe'en Round-up

It's nearly time for Samhain (one of the most popular sabbats and my favourite apart from Lammas!). This year's it on a Sunday (31st October). I also celebrate Hallowe'en (thought to have originated from Samhain).

 

Note: If you're in the Southern Hemisphere Beltane is almost here! Check out my Beltane Celebration posts here:

Beltane Celebrations Ideas: https://livingseasonal.blogspot.com/2017/04/beltane-celebration-ideas.html

Celebrating Beltane/May Day: https://livingseasonal.blogspot.com/2018/04/celebrating-beltanemay-day.html

April Update + Beltane Inspiration: https://livingseasonal.blogspot.com/2019/04/april-update-beltane-inspiration.html

More Beltane Inspiration: https://livingseasonal.blogspot.com/2020/04/more-beltane-inspiration.html 

Winter-Spring Update + Beltane Round-up: https://livingseasonal.blogspot.com/2021/04/winter-spring-update-beltane-round-up.html

 

The past few years I've done celebration idea and inspiration posts for Samhain. In 2021 I've written some round-up posts, featuring my past sabbat posts and articles from elsewhere. So here is the one for Samhain! :)

Samhain is the 3rd and final harvest festival of the Wheel of the Year. It comes after Lammas at the beginning of August and Madron/Mabon (aka the Autumn Equinox) in late September, and is a cross-quarter sabbat and a fire festival. It's considered by many to be the Witches' New Year and one of the two times of year when the veil between the worlds is thin (the other is Beltane in late April/early May). Halloween/Hallowe'en (since the name comes from All Hallow's Even, "Hallowe'en" is an alternative way of spelling it) is the modern-day counterpart. Check out the Celebrating Samhain/Hallowe'en post for more information.

Samhain also marks the shift to winter and the darker half of the year, although the "official" start of winter is on Yule/the Winter Solstice. It is celebrated on 31st October, although some people may celebrate "sundown to sundown" from the night of the 31st to the night of 1st November. Themes include harvest, honouring ancestors and looking back over the past year, as you move into a new one. 

 

Here is a round-up of my previous Samhain/Hallowe'en posts on the blog:

 

Hallowe'en Drinks: https://livingseasonal.blogspot.com/2013/10/halloween-drinks.html

Hallowe'en: https://livingseasonal.blogspot.com/2013/11/halloweensamhain.html

Hallowe'en/Samhain Celebration Ideas: https://livingseasonal.blogspot.com/2016/10/halloweensamhain-celebration-ideas.html 

Hallowe'en/Samhain 2016: https://livingseasonal.blogspot.com/2016/11/halloweensamhain-2016.html

More Hallowe'en/Samhain Celebration Ideas: https://livingseasonal.blogspot.com/2017/10/more-halloweensamhain-celebration-ideas.html

Hallowe'en/Samhain 2017: https://livingseasonal.blogspot.com/2017/11/halloweensamhain-2017.html

Celebrating Samhain/Hallowe'en: https://livingseasonal.blogspot.com/2018/10/celebrating-samhainhalloween.html

 Hallowe'en/Samhain 2018: https://livingseasonal.blogspot.com/2018/11/halloweensamhain-2018.html

Samhain/Hallowe'en Inspiration: https://livingseasonal.blogspot.com/2019/10/samhainhalloween-inspiration.html

Hallowe'en/Samhain 2019: https://livingseasonal.blogspot.com/2019/11/halloweensamhain-2019.html

More Samhain/Hallowe'en Inspiration: https://livingseasonal.blogspot.com/2020/10/more-samhainhalloween-inspiration.html

Hallowe'en/Samhain 2020: https://livingseasonal.blogspot.com/2020/11/halloweensamhain-2020.html

Plus, my Hallowe'en round-up posts from my entertainment blog Star Sparkle:

Hallowe'en Faves + Round-up: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2016/10/halloween-faves-round-up.html

Hallowe'en Round-up 2: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2020/10/halloween-round-up-2.html

 

And here are some links from other sites: 

 

Halloween's Deeper Spiritual Meaning: https://strengthessence.com/spiritual-halloween/

If you identify as a lightworker, here is a good post about Hallowe'en and Samhain: https://www.smallripples.com/celebrate-halloween-samhain-as-a-lightworker/

5 Hallowe'en rituals including ones for protection, honouring ancestors and letting go: https://strengthessence.com/halloween-rituals/

Interesting and helpful post about using Samhain traditions to help kids cope with grief: https://www.steampoweredfamily.com/brains/celtic-halloween-samhain/

Post from Tess Whitehurst about why Samhain is a good time for clutter clearing: https://tesswhitehurst.com/clutter-clearing-for-samhain/

11 Samhain recipes: https://otherworldlyoracle.com/samhain-recipes-meals-drinks-desserts/

Pumpkin spice latte spell for psychic awareness (from Penniless Pagan): http://www.pennilesspagan.com/2016/09/pinterest-gone-pagan-psychic-awareness.html

And find more Samhain recipes in this post: https://greenmanmeadows.com/wiccan-holidays-samhain-part-4-recipes/

 

Hopefully Hallowe'en and Samhain will be a bit more "normal" this year, whereas last year we were still adjusting to the pandemic and were about half a year into lockdown restrictions in many places. 

I'm planning to make my usual gingerbread, Demon's Blood drink (a recipe from Kate West's book The Real Witches' Kitchen) and potato salad, and have some more food to go with it. I make gingerbread skeletons most often and occasionally chocolate ginger bats. I just bought some Hallowe'en themed cutters in Marks & Spencer, so look forward to using those. You can find more baking and food and drink ideas in the 2018 and 2020 posts.

And check out my Maron Round-up +Autumn Baking post for baking inspiration: https://livingseasonal.blogspot.com/2021/09/madron-round-up-autumn-baking.html

I will also carve a pumpkin and light an orange candle. I like to decorate for Hallowe'en/Samhain and I've been knitting some new decorations this year, to go with ones from previous years. And I will probably go up to my favourite nature reserve on a hill the next day and take some sunset pics. I expect this will be the last time I go up this year, since in winter it's a bit cold for me! 

Hope that gave you lots of ideas for celebrating! I will do a post about my celebrations (probably the weekend after next). How do you celebrate? Happy Samhain and Hallowe'en! (Or Happy Beltane!) :) 

Photo: Pumpkin display at Marks & Spencer Holmbush. Moonsparkle 2021.