Samhain

Samhain marks the last of the harvest festivals; a time when the the herds of old were culled for the winter’s meat. Great bonfires would light the sky during the celebrations, and people of all ages carried eerily-carved gourds to protect themselves against the "little people" who were said to roam this night.

Samhain is a cross-quarter sabbat; a night when the veil between this world and the next is the thinnest. It is a time to honor those who’ve died during the old year just leaving, as well as all ancestral spirits. Many of today’s pagans continue the old tradition of "feeding the dead" by setting a place of honor for them at the Samhain feast table. In addition, many will load a large plate with a sample of all the feast foods, and leave it on the porch for the enjoyment (and boons) of all the spirits who might walk this night.

As it was with the Celts, Samhain is the Wiccan New Year. Divinations for the dawning year are done this night, as well as rituals and spells to be rid of bad habits and undesirable situations. This is our day to throw out the old which holds us back, and ring in the new with hope and joy.

Samhain is also known as Hallowmas, All Hallow’s Eve, and Halloween. Dieties celebrated especially for this Sabbat are the Crone Goddesses and the Sacrificial Gods. Symbols of the sabbat include the cauldron, mask, bonfire, and the jack-o’-lantern. And the colors most associated with Samhain are black and orange.

Copied from Mark Sumpter