Hallowed Eve

Halloween is more than just trick or treating, pumpkins and ghosts. It was the traditional end of the harvest, and end of the Celtic calendar. As I spend more time scrapbooking, I am reminded that I am but one link on a chain going back generations and generations. The older I get, the more I appreciate that connection, and want to share it with my son. In addition to going door to door for candy, the day can be balanced with ritual. It is a night to have fun and frolic, yet also remember those who have gone on before us.

 

This year before Halloween, we are going to add more ceremony to our October fun. A few days beforehand, we are going to have a special meal celebrating the harvest. I found a great meal blessing:

 

 Tonight is one of the tree nights we celebrate Samhain

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

The cold nights wait for us on the other side of today

The bounty of our labor, the abundance of the harvest

The success of the hunt all lie before us

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

And we look forward to winter, a time of sacred darkness

 

After dinner, we will take a cup of mulled cider (yum!) outside in a “formal” procession to our backyard, where our garden (usually) is. Every one takes a turn and sprinkle a bit of cider into the ground saying:

 

Summer is gone, winter is coming

We have planted and watched the garden grow

We have weeded

We have gathered the harvest

Now it is at the end.

 

Everyone will have their baggie of seeds that they will scatter in the garden. It’s a way of visualizing the circle of life, and it will be fun watching them grown in the spring. As they get scattered, we are supposed to meditate on our loved ones who have passed and say:

 

Gone from sight but not from the heart

You are remembered  and held in my heart

 

A final way of honoring of those who have gone before us (and my personal favorite) is to darken the room and have one candle burning in the center of the table. Using battery operated tea lights, our family takes turns lighting a tea light and sharing a memory about a deceased loved one. It’s a great way for our son to learn about those who have gone before him, and for us to reconnect with those who we desperately miss.

 

 

 

It’s a great prelude to a family Halloween party, where we can watch somewhat a marathon of Ghost Hunters, tell spooky stories and make a shrine to our ancestors. In addition to departed family and friends, I also include our departed pets because they were also part of our family.  I love incorporating this into our Halloween celebrations and having a spiritual component-since its more than just about the candy.

 

 

Spiced cider

 

½ gallon apple cider

2 c orange juice

3 cinnamon sticks

10 whole cloves

Zest of 1 orange

¼ tsp nutmeg

¼ allspice

 

Bring all the ingredients to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer 15 minutes. Strain out spices. Serve hot