Samhain is the holiday where the veils between the physical realm and the spirit realm are very thin. Altars and meals are prepared in order to honor and celebrate loved ones who have passed on to the Land of Shadows. It is also when the God departs and the Goddess mourns, but he knows he will be reborn at Yule. This is a time of celebrating the mysteries of death and of contacting spirits. The Catholic Church adopted this celebration with an All Hallows Eve Mass and calls the following morning All Souls Day.

Traditional foods include dark wine, banana nut bread, pumpkin pie, squashes, apple cider, taffy apples, and game birds with savory bread stuffing. A Mute supper of bread, salt, and cider or beer is traditional if you want to set an extra place at the table during the family meal(this is considered appropriate for visiting spirits of deceased relatives, so you may want to put a name card at the place and prepare something you know the person enjoyed if you want a specific spirit to celebrate Samhain with you).

Samhain Activities

*drink apple cider warmed and spiced with cinnamon to honor the dead

*Make resolutions and burn in a candle flame

*Bury and apple or pomegranate in the garden as food for spirits passing by on their way to be reborn

*Make a spirit candle. This is a white candleanointed with patchouli oil and say "With this candle and by its light, I welcome you spirits this Samhain night"

*Set out a Mute supper

*Do divinations for the next year

*Give hand made gifts

*Enjoy the trick or treating of the season

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