Samhain, also known as All Hallows' Eve, is the Celtic New Year, both a beginning and an ending point in the ever turning wheel of the year. At this time the third and final harvest is celebrated, a yield that ensures that life will continue throughout the winter ahead. As life is celebrated, so is death. Traditionally, Samhain is a time of the year when the veil separating the world of the living from that of the dead (The Otherworld) is parted, and the ancestors may join the festivities. Popular Samhain activities include communication with the dead, divinations to see what the new year holds, and the hosting of the "dumb supper", a feast for both the living and the spirits of the dead that is held in complete silence. The modern festival of Halloween has its roots in Samhain. The popular children's custom of trick or treat stems from an Old English practice in which children went door to door begging "soul cakes" to feed the wandering spirits.
~Edain McCoy
The traditional sigil for Samhain is a Celtic knot of protection. This Sabbat marks the beginning of winter. As the Festival of the Dead, it is a time to remember our ancestors, and those who have left this world.
