Samhain is one of the eight sabbats’ in the Wiccan faith and Celtic traditions. It is a fire holiday. Other Pagan faiths celebrate it as well. It is arguably the most important and holy night in our traditions. It is observed from October 31^st eve through November 1^st. The Irish Gaelic word for November is Samhain. In Scots Gaelic, it is An t-Samhain.

While popular media has incorrectly conflated it with Halloween and the Christian All Hallows’ Eve, all the holidays share roots in the veneration of ancestors.

Samhain is when we begin the journey into the new year, a time of rest, reflection, and remembrance of those who passed before us. We celebrate, feast, and party for almost the whole month. In many traditions, this is the beginning of our New Year, yet we do not start the year until Imbolc which is the beginning of February. As with all Pagan traditions, there are cycles or spirals. While there is much enjoyment and merriment, there are also somber rituals and celebrations. We return to where we started, which is never the same.

Ancestor veneration in the form of altars, pictures, and a dumb supper is an essential part of the holiday. The ritual begins with traditional ceremonies of casting a circle and calling the four elements. The veil between the worlds is thin, and those who passed before us can more easily communicate and share time with us. Participants share a feast but are “dumb”; we eat in silence and commune with those who have passed. For many, the deceased is of a direct bloodline, both known and unknown relatives. For some, it is a family of choice. The community, the place, and spiritual ancestors have taught us or were the foundation of who we are. In my community, one of the traditions is to honor the military fallen. We recognize that “all gave some; some gave all regardless of political or social associations.” We honor all of the fallen from our local cities and towns.

There are many ways we celebrate, and we do love our ritual wear. As we enter the dark time of the year, I've observed that we wear more elaborate clothing to celebrate the season. For us, and many other world traditions, dark represents the lengthening nighttime. A time for rest and reflection. It never has a sinister expression. It’s a time when we may wear jewelry or clothing given to us by a deceased loved one.

I hope this has provided a window into understanding some Pagan traditions and how we treat the circle of the seasons.

Grá agus beannacht (love and blessings).