Article by Bibs Malone

Let's be honest, we're all feeling a little flat about Halloween this year. With House of Horrors and many of other classic St Andrews events cancelled, we’re all struggling to get into that spooky, festive spirit. While lockdown isn’t ideal for the standard Halloween throwdowns, it gives us all a chance to be creative and explore alternatives for the 31st. One way to spice things up is exploring and honoring the other hoildays celebrated at the end of October.

Most of us have probably spent years trick or treating, watching the yearly Halloween programs, and enjoying all the Halloween gatherings. It’s easy to forget that other religions and cultures have their own celebrations, such as Samhain.

Samhain is one of the eight sabbats (festivals) celebrated by Wiccans, celtic neopagans, and many other pagan and spiritual religions/groups. Samhain means, “summer’s end,” and it is the celebration of the beginning of the dark side of the year, thanking the gods for a blessed harvest, and honouring ancestors and all deceased souls. Without Samhain, Halloween would not be around as Samhain was the inspiration for the Christian Halloween (All Hallows Eve, All Saints Day) that we know and love. Obviously, Samhain and traiotions listed below are just one alternative method of celebration. Many Wiccan and Celtic communities have completely different traditions and there are countless ways to enjoy this season. So if you're interested in exploring a new approach to October 31st, keep on reading!

Option One: Hold a dinner

Gather your flatmates and anyone allowed with Covid guidelines and host the classic Samhain dinner. The Main purpose of the dinner is to honor your ancestors and most people do that by holding a “dumb super”. Essentially, a dumb super is where everybody- even the dead have a place set for them at the table.The meal is typically eaten in silence as a show of respect to the dead.

If your group wishes to dedicate the dinner to a blessed harvest and summer instead of the dead, have no fear, there's a way to do that too. The key components are a loaf of bread and wine (juice if one does not drink alcohol). Before the start of the meal the host would recite this ancient phrase,

Tonight is the first of three nights,

on which we celebrate Samhain.

It is the end of the harvest, the last days of summer,

and the cold nights wait on the other side for us.

The bounty of our labor, the abundance of the harvest,

the success of the hunt, all lies before us.

We thank the earth for all it has given us this season,

and yet we look forward to winter,

a time of sacred darkness.

If a garden is available the group would proceed outside (don’t worry if you don’t- the next part can also be done at the table). Gather around in a circle and sprinkle some wine on the earth (or just raise a glass if still inside). Together, the group will recite the following,

Summer is gone, winter is coming (Major Game of Thrones vibes)

We have planted and

we have watched the garden grow,

we have weeded,

and we have gathered the harvest.

Now it is at its end.

The final part is my personal favorite. The group will make a man or woman out of straw, leaves, even paper if needed. The goal is to make your group a protector (known as the King of Winter or Goddess in some faiths) for the dark side of the year. There is no specifics for how he or she should look, so everyone is encouraged to have fun with this and create someone that you all love. Once he/she is made, place them at the table and begin the delicious food!

If eating with your deceased and making straw figures is not your thing, that’s completely fine. You can still celebrate Samhain! The most important part of the dinner is respecting your ancestors, so as long as you do that, you're all set. In addition, light some candles, burn some incense, and make some traditional Samhain dishes. Soul Cakes (a traditional Samhain plate), mulled wine, colcannon, barmbrack, and all things pumpkin (jam, stew, bread, anything!) will create a complete Samhain meal. There are dozens of recipes for these dishes online that cater to all dietary needs.

Option Two: Divination and spirits

It is the belief that on Samhain, the veil between our world and the spirit world is thin. Therefore, it is the perfect time to connect and work with spirits. Try working on divination with your friends/flatmates. Tarot cards, runes, palm reading, pendulums are some of the many ways that divination can be practiced. You can even try using a ouija board if you're feeling brave (don’t think I will). The most important thing about divination is doing your research and making sure everyone has a positive mindset. If someone is negative, it won’t work, or worse, bad spirits can be let in. Light incense or other herbs if you want extra protection.

If you want to connect with the spirit world further, here is an idea. Many souls have trouble entering the spirit world if you want to help their journey, purchase and light a seven-day white candle on your window. Reciting some words of encouragement or prayers to the spirit would also help their journey. Helping lost souls is not only extremely fun, but it will also give you good karma, win-win.

Option Three: Bonfire

Head on over to east, west, or castle sands to have a covid friendly bonfire. You and your friend can Tell ghost stories, say a few words for ancestors, or remember all the

blessings given during the light side of the year. A common tradition is to write down all bad habits onto a slip of paper and then cast the paper into the fire. The fire symbolizes those habits being destroyed and not following you into the dark side of the year.

Option Four: Altars

A classic Samhain tradition is making an altar to honor your deceased loved ones. An altar can include photos of the loved ones, candles, the deceased’s favorite food or drink, and anything else that was special to them. There are no rules for making a Samhain altar, all that matters is creating a space to remember your ancestors and treating that space with the respect it deserves.

Option Five: Herbs

In countless cultures, herbs are believed to have special powers. Herbs can be incorporated into cooking, placed on the altar, or burned as incense to give the room a fresh smell. Rosemary is the most famous herb associated with Samhain because it is believed to encourage love, memory, and remembrance. Mugwort is another popular one due to it asstionation with divination and dreaming. Of course, these herbs can be used anytime of the year, but using them on Samhain brings an extra connection to the spiritual day.

Conclusion:

Samhain is all about remembering your past and being thankful for what you were given. There is not a correct way to celebrate it, therefore, feel free to use as many or as little of the ideas given above. There are also hundreds of other ideas and traditions online. It is crucial to follow the traditions that feel right to you (we don’t want to create bad energy and attract unwanted spirits!). October 31st does not need to be ruined due to Covid, we can all take this time to explore other methods of celebration and potentially create lifelong traditions for ourselves. So get creative, have fun, practice social distancing, and enjoy your Samhain and Halloween!

October 31st: It's not just Halloween