Halloween, Samhain, & Dia de los Muertos

October 31st, it was Halloween, Samhain, & Dia de los Muertos all rolled into one. First off, let me explain a few things. Samhain is the Pagan Sabbat or holiday that originally was a Druidic festival celebrated on the eve of November. It was considered a time when the veil of this world and the Spirit world was very thin and the spirits of the dead moved freely between the worlds. Since the doorway of the worlds were open, it was believed that fairies and other creatures of folklore wandered among the living as well, therefore offerings were left so that they would be appeased and not harm the living. As a result of this, modern day Halloween is fill of costumed characters and tricks or treaters. Another legend was that people dressed up to fool the spirits in believing that they were spirits too. Following the rise of Christianity, the festival was called Hallowmas, or All Hallows' Eve, from which modern day Halloween is derived. In the 10th century, Christian Monks observed this Pagan celebration & the problem its popularity presented to the conversion efforts of the Church, so the literally "cooked" up their own solution. They cooked up large batches of fava soup and offer them up for the souls of the dead on the street corners of the town. The hungry peasants took great delight in the vats of fava bean soup and the Church allowed the practices to continue because of the conversion opportunities available to the Monks who fed the poor and it wasn't untill the 15th century that the Church officially claimed the day of celebration as Christian, calling it Ognissanti or All Souls Day. The same tradition carries on in modern day Mexico now. October 31st is called Dia de las Muertos, or the Festival of the Dead. This day is marked with sugar skulls and various other foods prepared to honor the dead. The Festival is a time to reflect and honor your dead relitives. Most people visit the graves of their relitives and bring them samples of their favorite things such as their favorite liquor, cigars, candy, and etc. They burn a candle in their memory as well as leaving their offerings for them. This past Tuesday, my mom & sister as well as a few friends came over to my house. My mom & sister Kara saw my 4 kids and my step daughter all dressed up then they left once the kids went out. My wife Sunnie, took the 2 babies around the neighborhood & the 3 older kids went around with their friends. Later that night, 3 members and friends of my Coven (HPS Talitha Dragonfly, Lady Jaz, & a newcomer Bill) came over to my house and we held a Dia de los Muertos Ritual in my back yard. I honored my grandmom and grandpop for without their kindness & generosity, I would never be living where I do now because they gave me their house when they passed on to the next world. Without this, I would of never met my wife Sunnie or be blessed with the 2 babies. Anyhow, I set up my shrine to them with a solitary white candle, a ring of dried marigolds, and a picture of them. When I was kneeling down talking to them, a leaf fell next to my grandmom's picture (please note my grandmom used to freak out in the fall due to all the dirty leaves) and my Ritual necklace, broke off and fell next to my grandpop's picture (my grandpop never wore any necklaces). In closing, I had a great time on this day combining all 3 holidays into 1 great day that I spent with both my Family here and beyond and my new Pagan family! Harvest Blessings to ALL! Treborus