Part of our family's deconstruction journey has included doing away with monotheistic ideas, embracing nature-based Pagan traditions and reclaiming Indigenous practices. It's important to me that my children learn the meaning behind the holidays and traditons we now celebrate. Halloween is no exception. Though this day has become a commercial spectacle, it wasn't always this way.
Halloween has its roots in ancient Celtic folklore, dating back thousands of years. The Celts were the tribes peoples of Europe. They held a New Year's festival called Samhain (pronounced sah-win), to mark the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. They believed that on the night of Samhain (October 31) the "veil" between our world and the spirit realm was at its thinnest, allowing spirits and fairies to roam freely. This allowed the living to communicate with their dearly departed, and people held feasts in their honor. To ward off evil spirits from the celebration, the Celts lit bonfires and wore masks and costumes.
As Christianity spread, the early church appropriated Pagan traditions into new liturgical holidays. All Hallows' Day (also known as All Saints Day) and All Hollows Eve (later shortened to Halloween) were created to replace Samhain, but Halloween retained some of the customs.
Centuries later, Samhain is far from forgotten. It continues to be one of the major Sabbats for contemporary Pagans. Since this celebration overlaps with Día de Muertos, our multicultural family spends Samhain preparing food for the ofrenda and sitting around a bonfire to tell stories of our loved ones who have passed away.
The Wheel of the Year is used in many nature-based spiritual practices to mark eight Sabbats or festivals of nature through the changing of the seasons. These holidays include the solstices (Litha in the summer & Yule in the winter), the equinoxes (Ostara in spring equinox and Mabon in autumn), and the cross-quarter days (Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, and Lammas). I've created a free printable Wheel of the Year to help you familiarize yourself with these eight celebrations. Download it HERE
As you prepare for Halloween this year, I hope you'll make some space to share and embrace its history with your children. Samhain Blessings!