Samhain
S.H. - 1st May
N.H. - 31st October
Samhain is the last of the three harvest Sabbats, marking the end of the growing seasons. It is at this time the Wicca say farewell to the God as he departs to the Underworld and the darkened months arrive. This is but a temporary farewell as he will be reborn at Yule.
Samhain is a time of reflection, of looking back over the past year, of coming to terms with the one phenomenon of life over which we have no control - death. It is a time when the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest. Wiccans remember their ancestors and all those who have gone before.
Samhain Lore:
It is traditional on Samhain night to leave a plate of food outside the home for the souls of the dead. A candle placed in the window guides them to the lands of eternal Summer (Summerland) and burying apples in the hard-packed earth "feeds" the passed ones on their journey.
Foods of Samhain include beets, turnips, apples, corn, nuts, gingerbread, cider, mulled wines and pumpkin dishes are appropriate, as are meat dishes.
