On Samhain night, King Ailill and Queen Medb gather at Cruachan when a challenge is issued: someone must place a band around a nearby corpse's ankle. Nera accepts, only to find himself drawn into a strange encounter that leads him into the Otherworld. The story, told in Echtra Nerai, is one of several medieval Irish … Continue reading Samhain: The Beginning of Winter in Irish Tradition
Samhain has long been a time to gather with family and friends, share food, play games, and tell stories. Some of the customs are still familiar today, while others have almost disappeared. From carving turnips to predicting who might marry next, Samhain and Halloween traditions were often playful, sometimes a little frightening, and occasionally quite … Continue reading Samhain Traditions: Food, Games, Bonfires and Old Halloween Customs
There is literally nothing that ties me to my American, Appalachian/Cherokke/Melungeon heritage more strongly than pumpkin pie. Maybe apple pie is the quintessential pie that defines my home country (as American as apple pie, they say) but for me, it has got to be pumpkin with its ties to Thanksgiving and Native American customs and … Continue reading Pumpkin Pie
Oh, my goodness, I absolutely love pumpkin soup. The silky, rich consistency just hits the spot especially on a chilly Autumn evening or in the very midst of Winter bleakness. It is especially tasty if you have made it from a plumpciously juicy fresh pumpkin, harvested that season, rather than from the tins. Now, I … Continue reading Pumpkin Soup
Pumpkins are the perfect symbol of Autumn and Samhain. I know they didn’t come over from the New World to Europe until the early 1500s but that’s definitely long enough to be considered history here, too! Pumpkins represent the bounty of the land, the ripe and raucous culmination of Spring planning and prepping, Summer tending, … Continue reading Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Samhain, the ancient Celtic festival marking the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter, is one of the most sacred Sabbats on the Wheel of the Year. Often seen as the Pagan New Year, it’s a time to honour ancestors, reflect on the cycles of life and death, and embrace the thinning veil … Continue reading Celebrating Samhain with Children: Cooking, Crafts, Nature, and Dress-Up for Pagan Families