Happy Samhain

 

I come from a Gaelic heritage based in and around Ireland, Scotland and Wales, yet I didn’t learn much about it growing up. I was raised in a cozy mid-west suburb where I was sent to Catholic school and church. In my school, there was no Halloween. Instead, we observed All Saints Day where we dressed up as our patron saint. 

When I got home from school, I changed into my costume and ran through the neighborhood trick or treating. I loved getting dressed up. I loved the candy. I’m glad I was allowed to have fun on Halloween. 

But I was never taught the true origin, meaning or rituals of Samhain which is the origin of Halloween. 

Spirits and Saints. 

Samhain, pronounced Sow’ in, is an ancient Celtic festival on November 1st. Because the Celtic calendar calculates the days using the Lunar calendar, the start of Samhain or All Hallows is on October 31 which is the end of the Celtic year. 

For the Celtic culture, this is a celebration of endings and beginnings. It’s a time to feast and celebrate the harvest. It’s also the Celtic festival of the dead. A day to remember lives well lived and honor spirits with bonfires, food and drink. 

The festival was changed to unite tribal culture with monotheistic religion. When Christian religion took over the Druid culture, Samhain was changed to All Hallow’s Eve or All Saints Night. 

Fire, food and faith. 

Certainly this year, of all years, makes the whole Western idea of candy and costumes seem wrong. Co-opting a culture by using stereotyped costumes can be seen as racist, sexist or worse. It could perpetuate misinformation and misunderstanding at a time when we need just the opposite. 

Yet coming together to talk, eat, laugh and celebrate may be what we need most right now. It’s getting colder outside and we need warmth inside our homes and our souls. Giving a sweet can be just a symbol of generosity by sharing food with people we know and those we don’t. It builds faith in the families surrounding us in our neighborhoods. 

If there was ever a year where we needed to come together, it’s this year. I need to find a way to end this difficult year with heart and hope and faith. 

Maybe, for me, that means making ghost cookies, carving a silly pumpkin, lighting my home with cinnamon scented candles and making a big batch of stew from the last of the season’s tomatoes. And most of all remembering the good souls who walked and lived and laughed and loved among us. 

Simply Fall

It’s a blustery day and I love it. There is stew simmering in the slow cooker, fresh rolls rising and a cup of tea is steeping. I’m grateful to welcome this season, yes, even with COVID.

A rainy afternoon with a clean house and cup of tea. 

A kiln firing with new teacups, teapots, bowls and plates. 

A Halloween Raven wreath on my front door, a banner on the porch, a pumpkin and chrysanthemum on the porch. 

A plate of freshly baked chocolate cookies made by my husband and best friend, Michael. 

Spirits of the trees, a mask and pumpkin scented candles. 

A shape-changer sculpture and a crow made by an artist friend.

I’m grateful for all of these warm, creative, decorative, fun, tasty, scented, bright, spirited art and delicious tastes. It’s my simple way of celebrating fall. 

Closet Crafter Comes Out.

Hi, my name is Susan and I'm a closet crafter.

I crochet. I bead earrings. I have embroidered. I made those quilted sweatshirts that were so popular in the 80's (Ok, I'm ashamed to admit that, but my daughter loved them). And I've sewn valances and pillows and, yes, even a reversible doggy raincoats(for my son's dog).

Yes, I am an artist. Yes, I am a writer. But when art becomes work and I get overwhelmed, overloaded and burned out, crafting is like a vacation.  It's relaxing and silly and fun.

When my children were little, holidays were another excuse to get crafty.

Through the years, I've made many a Halloween costume for my children.  Pirate hats and Princess crowns.  Angel wings and Devil forks.  Somewhere along the line, we started a ghost making tradition.  One year we made our own ghost cookie cutter by bending a crumpet form.  Rolling out a spicy molasses cookie dough, the kids cut out the ghost shapes and after baking, iced them with white icing, added chocolate chip eyes.  Voila' ghosts!

One year, I discovered polymer clay.  That year, we had a crafty Halloween featuring polymer black cats and glow-in-the-dark ghosts.  I even made this pin that I have worn every Halloween since.  

My children are adults now.  But this year, my son wanted to know when we were going to bake ghost cookies.  Then, a local writer said she was looking for easy, fun, quick Halloween projects that a family could make on Halloween day. 

Before I knew it, I was at the craft store looking for the fixings of a Halloween project.  I got black spray paint, grapevine wreath, orange glow lights and, of course, glow-in-the-dark polymer clay.  At another store, I lucked out and found a chalkboard ghost on sale!

Putting it all together was easy. Hang the glow-in-the-dark ghostly wreath on your door with or without the orange lights.  Here's the link to the article in The Oregonian Homes & Gardens with all the details. 

http://www.oregonlive.com/hg/index.ssf/2015/10/easy_halloween_wreath_trick-or.html

It just shows, that it doesn't take much to get a closet crafter out of the closet once more.

Happy Halloween. Happy Samhain. Happy Celtic New Year.

Many people celebrate Halloween today.  Tricks.  Treats.  Costumes and parties abound.  But what they may not realize is that they are re-enacting ancient, seasonal celebration.  

Today is the Celtic New Year's Eve.  Tomorrow is New Year's Day.

The Celts, an ancient civilization that lived across Europe with groups living in what we now call Germany, Spain, France and the British Isles.  This was a huge culture that shaped centuries of European customs which were then wiped away or re-shaped by the overthrow of  Rome and Catholicism.  I won't go into the hows, whys and horrors of the cultural genocide brought on by the Catholic church.  Let's just say that in order to take over, the Catholic priests found many ways to take what were considered 'pagan' rituals and re-invent them as 'religious' holidays.  Halloween, Christmas and Easter are just a few examples.

Samhain, pronounced Sow-when, was the Celtic festival marking the end of the harvest with a celebration of bounty and abundance.  As the end of the growing year, it also marked a time to remember those who died and honor their lives and spirits.  

Children went door to door giving and receiving food.  Candles and fires brought light to the darker days and served to remember and honor the dead.  The Day of the Dead celebration is another outgrowth of Samhain, as well.

I love Halloween.  And I love seeing how this holiday still honors the ancient intentions of Samhain.  Happy New Year's Eve!