Halloween or Samhain which ever you wish to call it, see us celebrating with costumes, sweets and carved pumpkins. We move in to winter from the summer do our best to keep positive in the darker months to follow .

Traditionally known as All Hallows’ Evening, Halloween falls on 31 October. It is always the eve of Christian festival All Saints’ Day on 1 November.

For me, I like to think of it as several celebrations. One is the end of a year, I take this time to think of what I want to let go of from last previous 12 months and what I want to bring in for the next. I think of the blessings and the challenges and how they have shaped me so far.

Marking the end of the summer and welcoming of the winter months, I cut back all my dead garden plants and have a good clean up in the home, getting rid of unwanted crap!

Traditionally known as a time to remember the dead, our ancestors, and petsI will be lighting a candle and changing my alter to suit this. Rather than being a morbid tradition, I see this as knowing that their candle of light continues in the after life and a transition into another world. In my meditations I may get some important messages to come from my past loved ones, as I think of the happy times we shared and honor their memory

I will be taking the children trickle treating around our estate, taking sweets of strangers! Something we tell them not to do all year round then for one night we allow it! We go to only the houses that are decorated, and as we walk around, collecting sweets, we will talk about family members the children remember to honor their memories.

Many will set a spare place at the table, for those that have past, but in fitting with my life style this year we wont be doing this, I finish work later then usual, have one child to rush out to football and one to get fancy dress for, cooking at different times and on the go! However we will have a more family meal tomorrow evening which is the last day, for me of samhain

The original festival actually intended to exchange gifts or positive energy as opposed to sweets! The custom was called souling where prayers were said for departed souls and in exchange for prayers poorer folk were given soul cakes spiced with nutmeg cinnamon and ginger.

Fire cleansing rituals will often take place for this day, in the belief that Fire both protects and cleanses, often used to banish negative elements. So maybe you will want to light some paper that has things you wish to banish! (please be careful when using fire)

Besoms are used to sweep out the old and in the new, and this may be how you will clean your home with. Which ever way you choose to celebrate the day of the dead, the end of summer, the new year, however you wish to honor those past, and what you want to let go off, however your reflections may be, Good fortune to you all for a very blessed samhain

Mystic Blessings

Kate May