All Hallow's Eve

Tomorrow evening will be All Hallow's Eve (or Samhain, pronounced sow-in) and I thought it might be fun to mention a few of the more fun traditions and plans here.

For me, Samhain celebrates the end of the "lighter half" of the year and beginning of the "darker half", The ancients also believed that the border between this world and the Other became thin on Samhain, allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. So this night marks an evening that is on the edge of two: light/dark and life/death. Now, in a more modern twist, I tend to take the day and remember my dearly departed family and friends and honor their memory in some way--for example, by placing a stone or planting a flower bulb. For fun once it gets dark I light every candle I own, inside and outside the house, and that brings light to darkness!

Samhain was also a time to take stock of food supplies and for winter stores. I usually roast root vegetables like turnips, parsnips, carrots and potatoes along with a great big pot roast. YUM! There's plenty of sweets to be had, since this holiday is all about candy but I usually try to make one real pumpkin pie too--and while I'm getting the meat for the pie I just might carve it.

Bonfires played a large part in the Samhain festivities. All other fires were doused and each home lit their hearth from the bonfire. Now-a-days it's not like bonfires are looked upon with joy by the city, so I take this as the first night to light a fire in my fireplace. Finally I do usually do put on scary music or do a scary-movie-a-thon. Nothing puts you in the mood of spirits passing between the realms like "Sleepy Hollow" or "Addams Family"