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Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Midnight Musings!

Hi everyone,

I have had a wonderful Samhain with my family tonight and although several of them have already headed up to bed, I have not. I quickly watched the news to see what was going on with Hurricane Sandy and I could not believe my eyes. I have been out of the loop what with Halloween Samhain and having everyone over and did not get a chance to spend any real time watching the news.

These are some photos I saw that made my heart hurt for the victims of this storm! Stay strong! Our prayers are with you and your families and we will do everything we can to help you! This is a horrible tragedy that we did not need right now! Now that I have seen all this horrible stuff, I am off to bed :(







Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Updates, Samhain and More!

Hi everyone,

Here I am again, for my nightly rant and chat session. I feel like this blog has been a great addition for me to feel like I am getting to know everyone on a personal level, and you are getting to know my family and I a little better!

A few updates, tonight I was getting ready for our annual spell casting as a family, which we do every Samhain at around 10 pm. We are SOOO excited because we can already feel the spirits lurking and wanting to come through the veil. There are so many, and so many people have recently passed that want to give messages to their loved ones, etc.

We are very interested in hearing how everyone does with their ceremonies. We find that every year turns out completely different and we have high hopes for this year as well.

If you are interested in letting the spirits KNOW that you are welcome to them coming by tomorrow night, make sure you FEED them!

What does that mean? For those who are new to this, or haven't completed a Samhain ritual before, this means that you need to go out front of your house around 6 pm your time, and place offerings of milk and barley outside under the stars to ease the ghosts' hunger, prevent mischief, and accrue their blessings. If it is not dark yet where you live at 6 pm, you may want to wait until 7, but make sure you do it early enough so you give them time to realize that you are welcoming them!

Then, I also take an incense burner and place mugwort, wormwood, charcoal disc and granular incense in the burner and light it on my front porch. The combination of mugwort and wormwood will invite them in, call them forth, without you even having to do so, and allow them to gather round and partake in your evening!

Beware: The incense IS NOT to be burned inside your house because of the herb containments. This is very important. Burn outside only. ALSO! I always say a blessing at my doorstep first, and lay a thin line of salt at the door, so any malicious spirits may not cross. Only the good ones in your home!

Just know that when you do this, you are opening your house up like an open house! You will basically feel that the whole evening your house is full of activity, busy, and you will maybe at times even feel like it's getting crowded!

When you are finished for the evening and want them to depart, be sure to stand at your door, let them know its time for them to return to their realm, and blow out the incense, or douse with water, just MAKE sure it is out, and then remove the offerings you placed outside!

The feast and offering time is over, everyone will have had a terrific time, and they will feel grateful, as you will to, for the company and companionship!

Tomorrow night will be an excellent night the ouija board also! So, if you are up for allowing them to talk with you freely, go ahead and do so! Just be sure to do your blessings and protection first!

Alright, that is all for my notes on Samhain!

We have already gotten all of the groceries today, as my sister, brother, and mother are all helping me with the cooking. My aunts, uncles, and cousins are all going to be coming in the mid afternoon and the party will be totally started by 5 pm, with dinner at 7 pm sharp! I am so excited to see everyone!

We are also having our Samhain Altar Contest tomorrow night, with the deadline at 10 pm and judging following that deadline! We will post the following day the winning altar picture on our website and that person will win the gift certificate and spell cast candle! We are excited to see who has won and we have received some very interesting altars!

Finally, if you have not already submitted your altar, go ahead and do so at my email address - moondanceroriginals@yahoo.com

We have also been requested to do a few custom conjures and custom castings, as our conjurer friend who lives in Norway is also going to be doing as well, and we will be doing those tomorrow night as well. We will have plenty of new exciting additions for you to purchase, in the next week or so, after tomorrow night!! The moon is going to be so energized, the veil so thin, and we will walk with our deceased loved ones hand in hand!

A bon fire, good friends and family, a cool chilly breeze, pumpkins and candy for the kids in the neighborhood that always stop by to see us in our witchy attire! I cannot wait to see all the wonderful little ghosts, vampires, princesses and pirates that will come to our door!

Hope you all have a blessed Samhain! Eat too much, be merry and welcoming of your spirit friends and family, and rejoice and pay reverence to the memories you had to share with your departed loved ones! This is the best night of the year, dedicated to those individuals who left a lasting impression on our hearts and souls, and that are with us tomorrow night, even if we can't see them with our human eyes. We will one day soon see them, or for some of them, you will see them tomorrow night, and dance once more with them till dawn!

Namaste' Loved Ones, Friends and Fellow Witches,

Have A Blessed Samhain!

xxx Rebecca

Monday, October 29, 2012

Just an FYI - New ITEMS In! Not EVEN On Our Store Yet!

Hey everyone!

It's me, up late working AGAIN! How is everyone? Are you ready for Samhain yet?! I hope you are! To all of my friends on the Eastern Coast of the United States facing the threat, or currently experiencing hurricane Sandy, please please please be safe! We are sending energy as a family to reduce the strength of this storm! Join in my lighting a candle and asking Gaia to relieve everyone of this dangerous storm! Visualize the energy coming out of the top of your crown chakra, and out of the tips of your fingers, and a huge beam of golden light radiating out all the way to the tips of the storm and pushing it, literally, back out into the water! This is a simple visualization exercise that anyone can do, and will help! Seriously! The power of law of attraction - we need to visualize the storm being pushed away from us!

Also, wanted to let you all know that I have been busy getting many new items ready to list!

Here are a few of them! Sneak Peak! These are located on our eBay store, and you can simply go to eBay and type Moondancer Originals into the search box and you will find them! I think we are the ONLY sellers on eBay with these unique peace smoking pipes so GET THEM QUICK! We are trying to get more of these beauties to offer!

These are the first ones we have on right now!








And if you go chasing rabbits
And you know you're going to fall
Tell them a hookah smoking caterpillar has given you the call...

Friday, October 26, 2012

We Are On PARASTOCK All Weekend!



Hi everyone!

If you are interested in meeting many wonderful META Sellers and Practitioners, some that have left eBay after the ban, others, like us, that have been around for a while, just come and pop in to chat at the PARASTOCK Event that Creepy Hollows is hosting for all of us!

http://www.creepyhollows.com/chat.html - Log In To The Chat Rooms Of Many Wonderful Practitioners, followers, practicers and more! Let's unite!

We are Moondancer Originals Room :)

See you there!

xxx Rebecca

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Superstitions

I've always been intrigued by Superstitions, because although, while some of them seem quite ridiculous, there are others that are quite viable. Yes, indeed, there are some superstitions that I have found to be true, through personal experience.

I ran across this rather lengthy list of Superstitions in a blog last year, and decided to keep it for future reference. I think this is a great time to share it with you. As you read each of these, think about whether there has been any time that you have experienced this Superstition, and whether the circumstance causes you to believe in that particular Superstition.

I would love to hear your response to some of the Superstitions on this list. Please share your experiences that have caused you to believe in a Superstition, or any other stories or comments you might have about Superstitions that have been handed down in your family, etc.


Superstitions

It is unlucky to give or receive parsley because only the wicked are thought to be able to grow it. Transplanting parsley is also bad luck because it was believed that to transplant parsley was to transplant death.
Flowers carried on to an airplane are ill omened, especially if they are a bouquet of white and red flowers.
Never carry an axe on your shoulder through a house.
If you must carry one through a house, carry it lowered.
To insure good fortune for your baby throughout life, be sure that his first gift is a silver coin. Place it yourself into the child's hand. If the child drops it, s/he will have difficulty holding onto money throughout life.
Gift the child with an old fashioned red coral and silver bell teething ring.
The coral to ward off the evil eye, the silver bells for good fortune.
Spit on your new bat before using it for the first time.
A bat falling in front of a ballplayer foretells an injury in the next game played.
A bat falling in front of the team manager foretells a loosing season.
Never place your bed pointing north and south. It brings misfortune.
Never kill a bee, it is as unlucky as breaking a mirror.
If a bee enters your home, it is a sign that you will soon have a visitor.
However, if you drive the bee out of your home, you will have bad luck, or the visitor will be unpleasant.
In some parts of the United States, a black cat crossing your path is thought to be unlucky. In Britain, it is considered good luck.
Having a black cat as your household companion is considered very good luck.
If a strange black cat enters your home uninvited, you will have great fortune throughout the year. If you shoo it away, it will take it's gift of good luck with it.
A black cat aboard ship is a very good omen... if your man is a sailor keep a black cat in your home to insure his safety while at sea.
It is bad luck to sweep dust out of your house onto the porch. Always sweep towards the center of the room, and take it up in a dust pan from there.
"If you sweep the house with broom in May "You will sweep the head of the house away."
To insure a loving marriage, both bride and groom must join hands and jump over the besom laid on the floor.
To prevent an unwanted guest from returning, sweep out the room they stayed in immediately after they leave.
Blue flame augers death in the family.
The Yule Candle should be burned until it burns out naturally.
Never light three candles with one match...nor have just three candles burning.
If a cat sneezes rain is not far behind
If a cat sneezes thrice, the household will get the sniffles
It is good fortune, for a bride, on her wedding day, to be near a cat which sneezes, on that day.
A child born with a caul will have second site.
The caul must be preserved and carried with the person born with it, for good luck.
The caul must be buried or cremated with the person born with it, or that spirit will never be at rest.
Carrying a lump of coal brings good luck.
The first person to enter your home on New Year's day should bring a bit of coal, so that the household enjoys good luck throughout the New Year.
Never pass up a piece of coal lying on the ground. For good luck pick it up. If you do not wish to keep it, you must throw it back over your shoulder.
If someone dies in your family, you must:
· Stop all the clocks
· Cover all mirrors with a black cloth or turn it face towards the wall.
· Let the household fire go out.
· Open all doors and windows
ALL omens lose their meanings during a SOLAR eclipse, and for up to three days before, and three days after. This period of time is completely neutral; meaning neither good nor ill omens have effect.
LUNAR eclipses are just plain unlucky. The effects last for 7 days total.
People said to have the 'Evil Eye':
· People with eyes of different colors.
· People with eyes set too deeply in the sockets.
· People with eyes too close together.
· People with one eye lower than the other, which squints.
People with long fingers are spendthrifts.
Vampire's have an index finger as long or longer than their second finger.
People with crooked little fingers will be rich someday.
If you drop a glove, never pick it up yourself; bad luck will follow if you do.
It is a very good omen if a stranger picks it up for you.
Only cut your hair during the 14 days between the New Moon and the Full moon.
If anywhere on the right side of your body itches, it's a good omen.
If anywhere on the left side of your body itches, it's a bad omen.
If your right palm itches, you will soon be getting some money.
If your left palm itches, you will soon be paying out money.
If your right ear itches, someone is talking nicely of you.
If your left ear itches, someone is talking bad about you.
If your right eye itches, you will get a nice surprise.
If your left eye itches, you will get a nasty surprise.
If your eyebrow itches, you can expect a visitor.
If the soles of your feet itch, you will soon be going to a strange place.
When going on a journey, do not look back at your house; to do so is a
bad omen.
If you drop your keys, it means something bad is going to happen.
If you lose your keys, you will hear of a death.
Carry an old iron key in your right pocket for good luck.
Never walk under a ladder.
Don't reach for anything, or hand anything through the ladder's rungs.
You will get a letter if:
· A moth flies towards you.
· If your nose itches.
· If you develop a white spot on the nail of your ring finger.
· If you sneeze on a Wednesday.
· If you are expecting a delayed letter; hang a found hairpin up by a nail on your wall.
· Never put a letter into the left hand of your friend, or your friendship
· will end.
Never refuse a piece of mincemeat pie that someone offers you, to do so
brings a full year of bad luck.
Break a mirror, have seven years bad luck.
Never let a baby look in a mirror until it is at least a year old; to do so the baby will not grow well.
A whole nutmeg carried in the pocket wards off rheumatism.
If the nutmeg is filled with quick-silver and plugged, it brings the carrier good luck.
If you hear a hoot owl persistently screeching near a home, death will come to a member of that household.
If an owl perches on the roof of a house, or flies around it three times, a member of that household will die soon.
If an owl hoots within the hearing of a mother giving birth, her child's life will be difficult.
If you are walking and find a steel pin on the ground, pick it up and keep it for good luck.
It is unlucky to lend pins to a friend; lest your friendship end. If your friend gives you something in return, the ill omen is averted.
Ancient Roman bridal couples shared a quince to ensure marital happiness.
Dress your little girl in red, or at the least put a red ribbon in her hair, to protect her from evil.
Finding a spider in the evening is always lucky.
Finding a spider in the morning is unlucky.
If a tiny spider runs over your clothes, you will be able to afford better clothes soon. Wind the spider around your head three times to be assured of it.
Never put shoes on the dining room table, it is very unlucky.
Never put a pair of bellows on the table.
Never set thirteen people down to dinner, or one will die within a year.
Never open an umbrella indoors, it brings bad luck and intensifies any other bad omen that is occurring.
Don't go out with your umbrella open on a sunny day, lest you attract rain.
Never lay an umbrella on the bed, or unhappiness will result.
Don't give an umbrella as a gift; or misfortune will go with it.
Hang Vervain over your doorway to protect your home from evil.
Rub vervain over anything that has been exposed to the evil eye.
An old French superstition is that every time you wash your body, you wash off some of your life essence.
If you and another wash your hands under the same flow of water, at the same time, you will argue before nightfall.
If someone gives you Xanthium, they are saying that you are rude.
Carry yarrow to attract love, and old friends.
Carrying three white tail hairs and three black tail hairs of a zebra will let you find lost items.
Justine Marie in the Fall Equinox Newsletter October 2, 2011 from THE CUPWA Blog

 

Saturday, October 20, 2012

This Bitchy Witchy Needs A Snack - NO BAKE ENERGY BITES - Quick Snacks When You Are Busy

Okay, I'm back again. After watching that horrid film, this bitchy witchy has now decided that she needs a snack. I'm all sorts of crazy tonight, and having such a busy week and weekend so far, I have decided to share with you a little quick snack that I make when I don't have too much time to waste in the kitchen!

I originally found this snack on Pinterest, and I tried it a few months ago and it was delicious!

The good part is that it's not that bad for you either. In the scheme of the bad things you could eat, this one is definitely a step toward the right direction!

If I get enough time tomorrow, I will need to share with you all some of the great smoothies that you can make that are healthy alternatives as well! I usually have a smoothie for breakfast and I feel really charged for the day!

NO BAKE ENERGY BITES



Ingredients

  • 1 cup (dry) oatmeal (I used old-fashioned oats)
  • 2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup ground flaxseed or wheat germ
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
 

Method

Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you would like. (Mine were about 1" in diameter.) Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Makes about 20-25 balls.

http://gimmesomeoven.com/no-bake-energy-bites/



Ali’s Tip:

Substitution ideas can abound for just about any of these ingredients! Feel free to substitute in your favorite nut butter (almond butter, sunflower seed butter, etc.) for the peanut butter. And you could also add in some wheat germ in place of some or all of the flaxseed. I would caution, though, against substituting agave nectar for the honey, as the honey’s thickness helps hold things together.

Some other fun substitutions for the chocolate chips (or an addition to them) could include:

  • chopped dried fruit (apricots, dates, raisins, etc.)
  • dried berries (cranberries, cherries, etc.)
  • chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts, or sunflower seeds
  • other chips (butterscotch, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, M&Ms, etc.)
  • other grains (different kinds of oatmeal, rice cereal, etc.)


Update: Many of you have asked about substitutions for other ingredients. The joy of these bites being “no bakes” is that this recipe is super flexible. If you end up needing to omit one of the dry ingredients (such as coconut or flax), just add in some extra of whatever other dry ingredient is remaining (for example, the oats). If you feel like your energy bites are too dry, add in extra honey or peanut butter. It’s also not required that you refrigerate these, but I find it helps them stick together much better. And for some reason, I love things like this a little bit chilled. Enjoy!!

The Televised Portrayal of "Witchcraft" - From A Witch's Perspective

Okay, seriously.

After watching the new movie, Seance: The Summoning, it is basically IMPOSSIBLE for me to shut my mouth and not blog about this. Seriously. How many of you have seen this movie yet?

First of all, I had to turn it off after one of the most ridiculously bloody scenes I have witnessed yet in which the devil himself basically bit a girls tongue off and the blood started spewing.

There are so many points that need to be made here. First, I find it absolutely adhorrent that witchcraft is being portrayed in this light. Not that by any means is this the first time I have seen magick get portrayed as devil work, but this movie just brought all of that back to light.

It started out good, but immediately became cliche'.

While using the ouija board to do a seance for a school video project, a witch tries to prove to her friend that spirits are among us and real. I thought the film would be very interesting and it definitely started out that way. Then, when the doubting friend breaks the circle, a demon finds a loop hole in which to enter into the room. Feeling that she needs to end the session and close the door, again, which is correct when using a tool like the ouija board, the demon becomes overpowering and again the closing is not completed, and at that time the demon makes his move to possess the friend who is in doubt. They really should have stopped the movie there.

But of course, they didn't. The witch, whom appears in the film to be well trained by her grandmother who was drowned by members of the Catholic church (although that doesn't make any sense based on a simple mathematic equation of time frames in history - as obviously, this witch is only like 25 TOPS, and her grandmother definitely didn't live during the burning times, or any other time for that matter that would have allowed the Catholic church people to drowned anyone without serving prison time) suddenly does not have any clue how to exorcise and banish a malicious spirit. Seriously? Her grandmother was very gifted and taught her a lot. But she has no clue how to deal with this?

Of course, that's when the bloody scenes seem to start. The "demon" suddenly starts referring to how he is the ruler of hell AKA Satan. Yup. That makes A LOT of sense. Satan himself decided to come and possess this kid. Right. And as the story goes, the witch has no clue what to do, and both of them are completely antagonized by Satan, which coincidentally is EXACTLY how Satan is portrayed in the King James Bible.

Then the Catholic friend decides that the witch needs to read out of the bible in order to get Satan to go away. But when they try to do so, it just won't work because the witch has not accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior and given up witchcraft and magick. Nice move Catholic Church. And all respect I have for this movie just FLEW OUT THE WINDOW. Seriously. I guess the Catholic Church has funded this movie. Yup. Let's FEAR people into church. Then we can guilt people into giving up everything they have in their wallets as the first of 3 collection baskets gets passed around. I guess we can take from this that the church needs more followers.

Of course, as I am watching, my mind is going insane. The movie is getting more and more outrageous. The only things that seem to cause Satan any pain at all happen to be burning him with the crucifix and spraying him repeatedly with Holy Water. It was great. Very clearly writen to scare the shit out of ANYONE who is a Wiccan, Pagan, Druid, Shaman, or JUST ANYONE that hasn't been to church for a while. You better quick run to your local church when you get done reading this so you can make your tithe. And if you haven't been there is a REALLY long time, you may even need to get saved again, with the whole congregation watching.

Look, I do not have any problems with any religions. I believe in coexisting. But I believe in RESPECT for all walks of life and belief systems. Listening to the little remarks that were made about how "witches" were evil and of the devil, and how witches "rule" hell with Satan, and my ultimate favorite, how "Satan" mentions that the witch's grandmother, who supposedly was killed by church people because she was a witch, is currently in hell being sexed by Satan himself, just made me sick.

What a disrespectful movie. Do I believe that you can be protected by Archangel Michael, God, Jesus, White Light, whatever you believe? Yes. But do I believe that condemned are the witches, and we are going to hell, and we are not strong enough in our magick to be able to protect ourselves? Umm, no. Not even in the least. This was clearly the most ignorant, opinionated, and religiously discriminating movie I have seen in a long time.

If you want to watch a movie more realistic, watch Practical Magic or the Skeleton Key. At least you will be able to see magic that isn't portrayed in an unrealistic fashion. There is white, black and gray, which is clearly portrayed in the Skeleton Key, but neither one of those movies above went through great lengths to make one "evil." The Skeleton Key shows voodoo used in a very dark way, but its a much more unbiased viewing in my opinion, because although it was dark, it's all in what you believe in and they never pitted one religion against another. The same is true for Practical Magic. It gets a little colorful, but it's not like the witches were suddenly unable to find any sort of resolution or help within their own belief system and had to call upon the Catholic church, or any other religion for that matter, to come and save them.

I know this seems like more of a rant than anything else, but I just felt the movie was so disrespectful to Pagans everywhere. Hopefully I save some of you from seeing this horrible film where we are once again persecuted for our beliefs and in need of another religion to come rescue us. I don't care what religion you are - I can respect you and that you may feel differently than me about what you believe - But I am NOT going to persecute you for it. Lets coexist. Lets end all this fighting to prove a point that can NEVER be proved. Lets spend our time loving and worshipping however we want to.

Coexisting is essential to peace.

There are many paths up the mountain - but the view of the moon from the top is the same. - Ancient Japense saying.


White Magick Relationship Strengthening Commitment Spell

You need to gather a long orange candle, and a small white candle, matches and a picture!

This spell is to strengthen the commitment two people share with eachother.

You will need a picture of the people you want this spell to effect. Place the picture on a table and place the candles around it. The orange candle symbolizes the attraction the people share to each other and the white one represents the purity they practice when the other is not around.
You can use more candles of different sizes and shapes, but these two candles should be the minimal number of candles to be used and all the candles you use should be either orange or white. Candles which are orange and white together can also have a greater positive effect for this spell. Light the candles and as they burn repeat the following. As you speak these words, also lift the candles and let the wax drip from them onto the picture:  Attraction, Truth, Purity and Love. Make these two fit like a glove.
You can also try to speak these words in Latin, giving the spell even more power:
Verum, sanctimonia, amo, amor. Apto manus apto aptor.

You may repeat the chant if you like, but once cast casting again in a short period of time rarely has any additional effects.

This spell was submitted to Spells of Magic by an unknown member.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Blog Subscribe!

Hey there!

Up late again as usual! Just wanted to let you all know that I am REALLY trying to get followers and subscribers to my blog!

So, let's exchange links! If you want to place a link to my page on your blog, I can do the same for you! Please just comment and let me know :)

Also, please LIKE our facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/moondanceroriginalsmetaphysicalmagickals

Thank you :)

xxx Rebecca

New Etsy Item Moondancer Originals Exclusive Triple Spell Cast Ritual Oil - Communicate Better Quicker With Animals and Spirits - Witchcraft Magick Occult

Moondancer Originals Exclusive Triple Spell Cast Ritual Oil - Communicate Better Quicker With Animals and Spirits - Witchcraft Magick Occult

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This oil has been spell cast three times, outside, during the last full moon to aid it's user with communication with animals and spirit entities.

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This oil can be used daily, as needed, and will help you to psychically connect with astral spirit entities, as well as animals, to be able to understand, communicate with them telepathically, and heighten awaken your psychic abilities further!

Contains USP Mineral Oil #70; Fragrance; D&C Colors, and has been cast upon magically.
Do not drink, swallow, or ingest this oil.

Have any questions? Contact the shop owner.


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New Etsy Item Moondancer Originals Exclusive Triple Spell Cast Ritual Oil - WEALTH MONEY DRAWING Millionaire Lotto Gamble Money Maker Spell Cast Full Moon

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NEW ETSY ITEM Pictures Do Not Do Justice - Decorated Halloween Altoid Mint Tin Box w/ Mints - Artsy Unique Handmade Design Black Hat Sisterhood Witchcraft

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Very unique, pretty hand designed mint carrying box. This "Black Hat Sisterhood" box is perfect for fitting inside your purse! The decorated box comes filled with Altoid mints, and can be kept and refilled! This is a reusable box.

Very neat if you are a Wiccan, Pagan, Shaman, Druid, Witch, Metaphysical Practitioner, Lightworker, etc.

AND, if you aren't, it is still a very unique piece to have for the Halloween season!

This box is a conversation starter!

Have any questions? Contact the shop owner.


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NEW ETSY ITEM If You Combine Whore and Bitch, You Get Witch. Put Your Hat On - Decorated Altoid Tin Mint Box w/ Mints For Halloween Moondancer Originals

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Very unique, pretty hand designed mint carrying box. This "If you combine whore and bitch, you get witch. Put your hat on." box is perfect for fitting inside your purse! The decorated box comes filled with Altoid mints, and can be kept and refilled! This is a reusable box.

Very neat if you are a Wiccan, Pagan, Shaman, Druid, Witch, Metaphysical Practitioner, Lightworker, etc.

AND, if you aren't, it is still a very unique piece to have for the Halloween season!

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Tuesday, October 16, 2012

FREE FREE FREE FREE When You Subscribe To Our Blog

Subscribe to our blog & we will include your 5 wishes in our Samhain spell casting for FREE! FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE!!

YOU ARE ALREADY HERE! IT IS SO EASY TO SUBSCRIBE ON THE RIGHT HAND OF OUR PAGE!

Once you have clicked and entered your email address to subscribe, send us the five most important things you would like us to address for you, and a picture, if you would like, and we will include you. Our casting is being done October 31st at 10 pm Eastern time!

Namaste'
xxx Rebecca

My Witchy Poo Samhain Menu For October 31st Halloween

Okay! Hey everyone. It's me again! Rebecca!
I have finally decided what I am cooking this year, as everyone in my family is coming to my house in Savannah this time! Here goes. Let me know what you think - if I should add anything or cook anything a little differently, etc. You are welcome to make any of these items for your gatherings or parties as well! Let me know how your guests like it!
 
Pumpkin Gnocchi with Brown Butter and Sage Sauce
 
 
 
Very easy to make! I practiced it today once!
 
Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1 handful sage leaves
1/2 batch (about 1 pound) pumpkin gnocchi (cooked)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Directions:
1. Melt the butter in a pan and cook it until it just starts to brown.
2. Add the sage and fry until crispy, about 1 minute.
3. Add the gnocchi and toss to coat.
4. Remove from heat and mix in the lemon juice.
 
Broiled Apples and Pears With Rosemary
 
I haven't had a chance to try this one yet - But I had something like it once so I am sure it will be good. I am going to practice it sometime before the 31st though!
 
  • 4 Golden Delicious apples, unpeeled, halved, cored, thinly sliced lengthwise
  • 4 Bosc pears, unpeeled, halved, cored, thinly sliced lengthwise
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
  • Fresh rosemary sprigs (optional)
Preheat broiler. Brush 2 large baking sheets with olive oil. Gently toss apples, pears, 1/4 cup oil, and minced rosemary in large bowl. Arrange fruit in single layer on sheets. Broil until fruit is tender and edges begin to brown, watching closely to avoid burning and turning sheets for even browning, about 5 minutes. Transfer fruit to platter. Sprinkle with pepper. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
 
Kitchen Witchery: Auntie Clara’s Famous Italian Meatballs 
 
 
This is an awesome one I have made! I found it on another witch's blog!!!! It's wonderful and I am going to repeat it for my family!
Ingredients
4 slices dry bread
1 lb ground beef
2 eggs
½ cup Romano
2 tbsp parsley
1 clove garlic
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
  1. Soak bread in water for 2-3 minutes, then squeeze moisture out. Combine soaked bread with remaining ingredients. Mix well.
  2. Form small balls. Brown in 2 tablespoons olive oil.
 
Kitchen Witchery: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
½ cup butter, softened
¾ cup white sugar
¾ cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
15 oz pumpkin puree
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon cardamom
½ cup oats
¾ cup chocolate chips
  • Heat oven to 375º. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  • Mix butter and sugars in large bowl with a wooden spoon. Beat in eggs. Stir in pumpkin.
  • Stir in remaining ingredients except oats and chocolate chips.
  • Fold in oats and chocolate chips.
  • Drop dough by rounded spoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheet.
  • Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set and golden. Cool 1 to 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
This is another one I found on the same witch's blog! Really good tasting!
I have a few other finger foods I think I'll add but these are the main items I am working with for now!
 
 

Monday, October 15, 2012

Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding (Gluten-Free, Vegan, Sugar-Free)

Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding (Gluten-Free, Vegan, Sugar-Free)

Post image for Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding (Gluten-Free, Vegan, Sugar-Free)The final post in our gluten-free recipe series from Beth of Tasty Yummies!
If you are anything like me, as soon as fall hits I crave anything and everything pumpkin! With some delicious aromatic spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, there really is nothing better. I prefer to buy fresh whole pie pumpkins at the market and make my own puree, but a can of unsweetened organic pumpkin puree works great, too. I made some delicious mini pumpkin pie tarts (the recipe can be found on my blog) to celebrate the beginning of fall and I have been dreaming of lots of other ways to get creative with pumpkin ever since.
This chia pudding was the perfect answer to celebrate all of those lovely flavors in a delicious, creamy and healthy treat. I am a big fan of chia seeds, they are wonderful in homemade granola, in muffins, on top of salads, in smoothies and especially in puddings like this one. When soaked overnight chia seeds turn into a simple pudding, similar in consistency to tapioca (which I love). This pudding was creamy, a little thick, and it had a little bitty crunch from the seeds.
If you haven’t yet had chia seeds, you must try them. Chia seeds are a super food that provides a variety of wonderful health benefits. It a nutshell – by adding just 2 tablespoons of chia seeds to your daily diet it will give you approximately 7 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein, 205 milligrams of calcium, and a whopping 5 grams of omega-3! And yes, these are the are the same chia seeds made famous by the Chia Pets! Chia seeds can be found at most health food stores, normally where you would find the flaxseeds.
If you are looking for a pudding consistency that is even thicker than this, you can use 1/4 cup or maybe even a little bit more of the chia seeds. If you find you want this pudding a little bit sweeter when you serve it, you can drizzle a little honey or maple syrup over top and it would be wonderful. I like mine topped with a little freshly whipped coconut cream – (recipe here). Serve this chia pudding for dessert or even breakfast, which is when I like it.
pumpkin pie chia pudding
Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding (gluten-free, vegan, sugar-free)
serves 2-4 – makes approximately 3 cups
1 cup coconut milk (the canned kind – lite or full-fat)
1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other non-dairy milk of your choice)
1 cup pumpkin puree (here’s how to make it yourself)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch of ground cloves
5 medjool dates, pits removed
3 tablespoons chia seeds
Puree everything but the chia seeds in a blender until smooth, combined and thick. You may see a few little bits of the dates still, it’s OK. Pour the mixture into a glass bowl or a mason jar, stir in the chia seeds. Make sure to stir well to combine. Cover the bowl or put the lid on the jar. Keep in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 4 hours.
Spoon or pour into bowls, top with a sprinkle of cinnamon and maybe even some fresh whipped coconut cream, if you wish. Serve cool or room temperature.


For more of Beth’s recipes visit her blog Tasty Yummies.
 


Source: Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding (Gluten-Free, Vegan, Sugar-Free) | Free People Blog http://blog.freepeople.com/2012/09/pumpkin-pie-chia-pudding-glutenfree-vegan-sugarfree/#ixzz29R1Ge8gi

Make Your Home Smell Like Fall: Simmering Stovetop Potpourri




Pumpkin Spice Simmering Stovetop Potpourri

½ gallon apple cider
1 cup canned pumpkin
3 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon whole cloves

Directions
Fill a saucepan ¾ full with apple cider. Mix in pumpkin, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and whole cloves. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to low heat. When the mixture gets low, add more apple cider (or water if necessary). Be sure not to let the mixture scorch.
There are lots of other simmering stovetop potpourri combinations for a delicious-smelling home. Aside from those listed above, some of the most popular ingredients are orange, lemon, bay leaves, anise, rosemary, and dried lavender. So mix up your favorites and see what you like best! What’s your favorite simmering stovetop recipe for fall?
Photos by Brigette.



Source: Make Your Home Smell Like Fall: Simmering Stovetop Potpourri | Free People Blog http://blog.freepeople.com/2012/10/home-smell-fall-simmering-stovetop-potpourri/#ixzz29R0KHz95

Recipes For Halloween: Pull Apart Graveyard Cupcakes from The Food Network

 
Total Time:
2 hr 35 min
 
Prep
1 hr 0 min

Inactive
1 hr 10 min

Cook
25 min

Yield:
24 cupcakes
Level:
Difficult
Although it looks almost like a cake, this graveyard is made up of individual cupcakes, making it a self-serve party option. Just grab your cupcake and go--no knives necessary.

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup grape jelly
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 12 ounces (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup milk

Frosting:

  • 10 ounces (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, spooned and leveled
  • 3 tablespoons milk
  • 10 chocolate sandwich cookies, coarsely crushed

Decorations:

  • 15 large white marshmallows
  • 1/4 cup finely crushed chocolate sandwich cookies (about 3 cookies)
  • 1 tablespoon black or dark green decorating sugar
  • One 6.4-ounce tube black decorating icing, with tips
  • 5 oval-shaped vanilla and chocolate sandwich cookies
  • One 7-ounce tube marzipan
  • 3 round lollipops, wrapped
  • 1/4 cup orange decorating sugar
  • One 6.4-ounce tube green decorating icing, with tips
  • Seven 8-inch pieces black licorice

Directions

For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12-cup standard muffin tins with paper cupcake liners.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Warm the grape jelly in the microwave until loosened, 20 to 30 seconds, and whisk until smooth. Set aside.

Beat together the sugar and eggs in another medium bowl with an electric mixer until light and foamy, about 2 minutes. While beating, gradually pour in the butter and then the vanilla.

While mixing slowly, add half the dry ingredients and then all of the milk. Follow with the rest of the dry ingredients, taking care not to over mix the batter.

Remove 2 cups of the batter and stir in the grape jelly. Evenly fill the liners about two-thirds full, alternating with yellow and grape batter.

Bake until a tester inserted in the center of the cupcakes comes out clean and the tops spring back lightly to the touch, 20 to 22 minutes. Place the pan on a rack to cool for 10 minutes, and then remove the cupcakes to the rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.

For the frosting: Beat the butter and salt in a large bowl until fluffy and combined. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until smooth and fluffy. Beat in the milk one tablespoon at a time until the frosting has a nice spreadable consistency. Add the crushed cookies and continue to beat until any large chunks are crushed to smaller bits and the frosting has a speckled, greyish look.

For the decorations: Arrange the cupcakes in 4 rows on a large serving plate or cutting board. Fit a marshmallow between each cupcake, 5 marshmallows per row, to fill in the gaps between the cupcakes. Spread the frosting over the whole rectangle so it looks like one cake. Sprinkle with the cookie crumbs and black decorating sugar.

To make the tombstones: Use the black decorating icing and a small round tip to write "RIP" or other one-word epitaphs on the top half of the oval sandwich cookies and stick into the cupcakes randomly around the graveyard.

To make the ghosts: Remove two-thirds of the tube of marzipan and place between 2 sheets of wax paper or parchment. Roll about 1/8-inch thick and cut into 3 rounds using a 4-inch biscuit cutter. You may need to gather and reroll the scraps for all 3 rounds. Drape over the wrapped lollipops and stick into the cupcakes around the tombstone. Using the black decorating icing and the same round tip, dot eyes and a mouth on the ghosts.

To make the pumpkins and leaves: Divide the remaining marzipan into 4 small pieces and roll each into a ball. Roll in the orange sugar until coated and place around the graveyard. Use the black icing to pipe a small stem. Fit the tube of green decorating icing with a leaf or ribbon tip to dot bits of green grass poking through the dirt around the graveyard and pumpkins.

To make a border: Use 6 pieces of the licorice, trimming to fit, to make a border around the cake, leaving the middle of the front side open. Bend the seventh piece into an upside down "U" and stick into 2 cupcakes in the front to make an arched gateway.

Cook's Note: If your decorating icing does not come with tips, you can squeeze some icing into a small plastic bag or piping bag fitted with a small round metal tip or a small metal leaf or ribbon tip.

How To Celebrate Samhain - What Do Witches Do?

Samhain marks one of the two great doorways of the Celtic year. The Celts divided the year into two seasons: the light and the dark. Some believe that Samhain was the more important festival, marking the beginning of a whole new cycle, just as the Celtic day began at night. For it was understood that in dark silence comes whisperings of new beginnings.

Samhain literally means "summer's end." . It comes from the Scots Gaelic: Samhuinn With the rise of Christianity, Samhain was changed to Hallowmas, or All Saints' Day, to commemorate the souls of the blessed dead who had been canonized that year, so the night before became popularly known as Halloween, All Hallows Eve, or Hollantide.

In the country year, Samhain marked the first day of winter, when the herders led the cattle and sheep down from their summer hillside pastures to the shelter of the stable and byre. Peat and wood for winter fires were stacked high by the hearth. It was a joyous time of family reunion, when all members of the household worked together baking, salting meat, and making preserves for the winter feasts to come.

DIVINATION
Samhain was and still is a significant time for divination. Customs frequently featured apples and nuts from the recent harvest, and candles for adding atmosphere to the mysteries. In Scotland, a child born at Samhain was said to be gifted with an dà shealladh, "The Two Sights" commonly known as "second sight," or clairvoyance.

Things to do on Samhain:
ALTAR: Altar candles should be:
  • orange, representing the magic of fire and the remaining fire in autumn leaves;
  • -black, to absorb light and keep you warm for the coming winter; white, to send out energy;
  • -silver and gold, representing the moon and sun.
  • Decorate with autumn leaves and flowers, gourds, squashes, corn. As this is the meat harvest, you may also include an animal talon, horn or feather.
SPELLS: At Samhain, cast spells to keep negative things from your past (evil, harm, greed, corruption, betrayal) out of your future. Cast spells to contact the dead and receive ancient knowledge.

Scrying: This is one of the best times for scrying. You can use a black mirror or a black or very dark bowl filled with water, if you have a cauldron that would be better. Place lit candles nearby and gaze into the mirror or the bowl.

Dookin' for Apples: Place a large tub, preferably wooden, on the floor, and half fill it with water. Tumble in plenty of apples, and have one person stir them around vigorously with a long wooden spoon. Each player takes their turn kneeling on the floor, trying to capture the apples with their teeth as they go bobbing around. Each gets three tries before the next person has a go. Best to wear old clothes for this one, and have a roaring fire nearby so you can dry off while eating your prize!
If you do manage to capture an apple, you might want to keep it for a divination ritual, such as this one:

The Apple and the Mirror: Before the stroke of midnight, sit in front of a mirror in a room lit only by one candle or the moon. Go into the silence, and ask a question. Cut the apple into nine pieces. With your back to the mirror, eat eight of the pieces, then throw the ninth over your left shoulder. Turn your head to look over the same shoulder, and you will see and in image or symbol in the mirror that will tell you your answer.

(When you look in the mirror, let your focus go "soft," and allow the patterns made by the moon or candlelight and shadows to suggest forms, symbols and other dreamlike images that speak to your intuition.)

Prayer:
On this night of Samhain I mark your passing,
O Sun King, through the sunset into the Land of the Young.
I mark also the passing of all who have gone before, and all who will go after.
O Gracious Goddess, Eternal Mother, You who gives birth to the fallen,
teach me to know that in the time of the greatest darkness there is
the greatest light.
From a book Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary... , Scott Cunningham


WICCA AND SAMHAIN
The most important of the Neo-Pagan religions is Wicca (meaning "Wise ones"); W
icca is one of the largest Neopagan religions.

Samhain is one of the eight annual holidays, observed as part of the Wiccan Wheel of the Year. Which is a term for the annual cycle of the Earth's seasons because natural processes are seen as following a continuous cycle. The progression ofbirth, life, and death, as experienced in human lives, is echoed in the progression of the seasons. Wiccans also see this cycle as echoing the life, death and rebirth

Samhain is considered by most Wiccans to be the most important of the four 'greater Sabbats'. It is generally observed on October 31st in the Northern Hemisphere, starting at sundown.
Samhain is considered by most Wiccans as a celebration of death and of the dead, and it often involves paying respect to ancestors, family members and other loved ones who have died. In some rituals the spirits of the departed are invited to attend the festivities. It is seen as a festival of darkness and death, which is balanced at the opposite point of the wheel by the spring festival of Beltane, which Wiccans celebrate as a festival of life and fertility.

This article was originally from http://princessa.hubpages.com/hub/Celebrating-Samhain

The History of Samhain Halloween - From A Pagan's Path

Samhain's History
Samhain (pronounced Sow-en), dates back to the ancient Celts who lived 2,000 years ago. Contrary to what some believe, is not a celebration of a Celtic god of the dead. Instead, it is a Celtic word meaning "summer's end." The Celts believed that summer came to an end on October 31st and the New Year began on November 1st with the start of winter. But the Celts also followed a lunar calendar and their celebrations began at sunset the night before.
Many today see Halloween as the pagan holiday. But that's not really accurate. As the pagan holiday of Samhain is on November 1st. But their celebrations did and still do, start at sunset on October 31st, on Samhain Eve. During the day on October 31st, the fires within the home are extinguished. Often families would engage in a good "fall" cleaning to clear out the old and make way for the new. Starting the winter months with fresh and clean household items.
At sunset on October 31, clans or local villages begin the formal ceremonies of Samhain by lighting a giant bonfire. The people would gather around the fire to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities. It was a method of giving the Gods and Goddesses their share of the previous years herd or crops. In addition these sacred fires were a big part of the cleansing of the old year and a method to prepare for the coming new year.
During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, and danced around the bonfire. Many of these dances told stories or played out the cycles of life and death or commemorated the cycle of Wheel of Life. These costumes were adorned for three primary reasons.
The first was to honor the dead who were allowed to rise from the Otherworld. The Celts believed that souls were set free from the land of the dead during the eve of Samhain. Those that had been trapped in the bodies of animals were released by the Lord of the Dead and sent to their new incarnations. The wearing of these costumes signified the release of these souls into the physical world.
Not all of these souls were honored and respected. Some were also feared as they would return to the physical world and destroy crops, hide livestock or 'haunt' the living who may have done them wrong. The second reason for these traditional costumes was to hide from these malevolent spirits to escape their trickery.
The final representation was a method to honor the Celtic Gods and Goddesses of the harvest, fields and flocks. Giving thanks and homage to those deities who assisted the village or clan through the trials and tribulations of the previous year. And to ask for their favor during the coming year and the harsh winter months that were approaching.
In addition to celebrations and dance, it was believed that this thin veil between the physical world and the Otherworld provided extra energy for communications between the living and the dead. With these communications, Druid Priests, and Celtic Shamans would attempted to tell the fortunes of individual people through a variety of methods. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.
These psychic readings would be conducted with a variety of divination tools. Such as throwing bones, or casting the Celtic Ogham. There is some historical evidence that additional tools of divination were also used. Most of this comes from writings recorded by Roman invaders, but there are stories of reading tea leaves, rocks and twigs, and even simple spiritual communications that today we'd call Channeling. Some historians have suggested that these early people were the first to use tiles made from wood and painted with various images which were the precursor to Tarot Cards. There's no real evidence to support this, but the 'story' of these tiles has lingered for centuries.
When the community celebration was over, each family would take a torch or burning ember from the sacred bonfire and return to their own home. The home fires that has been extinguished during the day were re-lit by the flame of the sacred bonfire to help protect the dwelling and it's inhabitants during the coming winter. These fires were kept burning night and day during the next several months. It was believed that if a home lost it's fire, tragedy and troubles would soon follow.
With the hearth fires lit, the families would place food and drink outside their doors. This was done to appease the roaming spirits who might play tricks on the family.
The Romans began to conquer the Celtic territories. By A.D. 43 they had succeeded in claiming the majority of the Celtic lands. They ruled for approximately four hundred years combining or influencing many Celtic traditional celebrations with their own. Two Roman holidays were merged with Samhain.
  1. Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead.
  2. Pomona's Day of Honoring, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of "bobbing" for apples that is practiced today on Halloween.
Samhain to Halloween
With the coming of Christianity in the 800s AD, the early Church in England tried to Christianize the old Celtic festivals. Pope Boniface IV designated the 1st of November as "All Saints Day," honoring saints and martyrs. He also decreed October 31 as "All Hallows Eve", that eventually became Hallow'een.
Scholars today widely accept that the Pope was attempting to replace the earlier Celtic pagan festival with a church-sanctioned holiday. As this Christian holiday spread, the name evolved as well. Also called All-hallows Eve or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints' Day). 200 years later, in 1000 AD, the church made November 2 All Souls' Day, a day to honor the dead. It is celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels, and devils. Together, the three celebrations, the eve of All Saints', All Saints', and All Souls' day, are called Hallowmas.
November 1st or May 13th?
Some people confuse Samhain being originally celebrated in May with other pagan and early Christian holidays.
Samhain comes from the Gaelic word samain. "Sam" - summer and "fuin" - end. It literally means Summer's End. The early Irish and Brythonic cultures believed the year was divided in half. The dark half and the light half. Samhain marked the end of the light half and the beginning of the Celtic new year or the dark half.
According to Funk & Wagnalls New Encyclopedia (1979 Vol 12 p 152), The Druids originated the holiday. It was a celebration of Saman Lord of the Dead who was the God of Evil Spirits. There is some debate about this origination as the Druids were not the only, or the first spiritual pagans of Ireland.
Some of the earliest archaeological evidence of the Celts come from their trade routes with the Greeks. Their culture can be followed with great precision from the 5th Century BC through the La Tène culture. From these early records with the Greeks we know of some of their great festivals and in particular one of their biggest Samhain the new years festival. Certainly we can gain information from Julius Caesar who wrote extensively about the Gauls during his invasion campaigns in Ireland during 4th Century BC. Eventually Rome is sacked by the Celts in 3rd Century BC, around 390BC. The Romans in general wrote of their warlike inhabitants and many of their barbaric celebrations. Which included Samhain.
In most if not all of these accounts, Samhain is immersed in blood and sacrifice. Often in the earliest of times, those sacrifices were human. One Greek account states these early Celts sacrificed prisoners captured during a battle during their New Years festival of Samhain. In The History and Origins of Druidism by Lewis Spencer writes about the Druids stating they burned their victims in holy fire which had to be consecrated by a Druid priest.
The confusion of May to November 1st probably comes from the Christians and pagan Roman festivals. The Roman Empire was a pagan culture. During their reign they held many pagan festivals and celebrations, one being the Feast of the Lemures on May 13th. During this time malevolent and restless spirits of the dead were appeased and festival participants would attempt to gain the favor of the spirits. The feast covered a three day period that honored "all the dead" with food, drink and sacrifice.
At the same time Pope Boniface IV consecrated the Pantheon at Rome to the Blessed Virgin and all the martyrs. This was celebrated in the west from May 13, 609 to 610. Pope Gregory III (731–741) during an oratory in St. Peter's for the relics "of the holy apostles and of all saints, martyrs and confessors, of all the just made perfect who are at rest throughout the world", moved All Saints Day to November 1.
This is further confused by the early Irish churches who did not celebrate All Hallows Day in November or May, but rather in early spring on April 20th during the Felire of Oengus and the Martyrology of Talaght. A festival of All Saints was already widely celebrated in the days of Charlemagne in November. But it took a decree at the insistence of Pope Gregory IV to all the bishops, that the celebration be confirmed on November 1st.
These early similar celebrations come together around 835AD. The Roman pagan festival is over taken by the early Church, the Irish Church conforms it's celebrations with Rome, and everyone seems to move their day of the dead to coincide with early Irish pagans and their celebration of Samhain on November 1st.
There's no doubt, however, that the Irish festival of Samhain has always been at the end of summer on November 1st, and has been one of the prominent harvest festivals for Celtic pagans from the past and the present.
The Evolution Of Halloween
"Trick-or-treating" is a modern tradition that probably finds it's roots in the early All Souls' Day parades in England. During the festivities, poor citizens would beg for food and families would give them pastries called "soul cakes" in return for their promise to pray for the family's dead relatives. The distribution of soul cakes was encouraged by the church as a way to replace the ancient practice of leaving food and wine for roaming spirits. The practice, which was referred to as "going a-souling" was eventually taken up by children who would visit the houses in their neighborhood and be given ale, food, and money.
"Dressing up" for Halloween gets it roots from dressing up around the sacred bonfire during the original Celtic festival. Some suggest, this practice originates from England, when it was believed that ghosts came back to the earthly world on Halloween. People thought that they would encounter ghosts if they left their homes, so to avoid being recognized people would wear masks after dark so that the ghosts would mistake them for fellow spirits. In addition, these early English people, would place bowls of food outside their homes to appease the ghosts and prevent them from attempting to enter or cause harm to their homes. A tradition obviously taken from the ancient Celtic pagans.
As European came to America, they brought their varied Halloween traditions with them. Celebration of Halloween in colonial times was much more common in Maryland and the southern colonies. Primarily because Celtic immigrants settled more in these regions than in the north.
As the beliefs and customs of different European ethnic groups meshed together a distinctly American version of Halloween began to emerge. The first celebrations included "play parties," public events held to celebrate the harvest, where neighbors would share stories of the dead, tell each other's fortunes, dance, and sing. Colonial Halloween festivities also featured the telling of ghost stories and mischief-making of all kinds. By the middle of the nineteenth century, annual autumn festivities were common, but Halloween was not yet celebrated everywhere in the country.
In the second half of the nineteenth century, America entered an age of mysticism. What was more often termed spiritualism. Metaphysical groups and clubs began to spring up throughout the Golden Age and the wealthier set of Americans. At the same time, America was welcoming a new group of immigrants, especially the millions of Irish fleeing Ireland's potato famine of 1846. This new cultural influence brought with it a melding of Irish and English traditions, and a new Americans culture was born. People began to dress up in costumes and go house to house asking for food or money, a practice that eventually became today's "trick-or-treat" tradition. Young women believed that, on Halloween, they could divine the name or appearance of their future husband by doing tricks with yarn, apple parings, or mirrors.
In the late 1800s, there was a move in America to mold Halloween into a holiday more about community and neighborly get-togethers, than about ghosts, pranks, and witchcraft. At the turn of the century, Halloween parties for both children and adults became the most common way to celebrate the day. Parties focused on games, foods of the season, and festive costumes. Parents were encouraged by newspapers and community leaders to take anything "frightening" or "grotesque" out of Halloween celebrations. Because of their efforts, Halloween lost most of its superstitious and religious overtones by the beginning of the twentieth century.
By the 1920s and 1930s, Halloween had become a secular, but community-centered holiday, with parades and town-wide parties as the featured entertainment. Despite the best efforts of many schools and communities, vandalism began to plague Halloween celebrations in many communities during this time. By the 1950s, town leaders had successfully limited vandalism and Halloween had evolved into a holiday directed mainly at the young. Due to the high numbers of young children during the fifties baby boom, parties moved from town civic centers into the classroom or home, where they could be more easily accommodated.
Between 1920 and 1950, the centuries-old practice of trick-or-treating was also revived. Trick-or-treating was a relatively inexpensive way for an entire community to share the Halloween celebration. In theory, families could also prevent tricks being played on them by providing the neighborhood children with small treats. A new American tradition was born, and it has continued to grow.
By the 1990s, Americans have made Halloween one of the largest commercial holidays. Spending an estimated $6.9 billion annually on Halloween costumes, accessories, decorations and pumpkins.
Samhain Traditions
To pagans the world over, November 1st, still marks the beginning of the New Year. To Witches and Pagans, Samhain is the Festival of the Dead, and for many, it is the most important Sabbat (Holiday) of the year. Although the Feast of the Dead forms a major part of most Pagan celebrations on this eve, and at Samhain voluntary communications are expected and hoped for. The departed are never harassed, and their presence is never commanded. The spirits of the dead are, however, ritually invited to attend the Sabbat and to be present within the Circle.
Orange and Black:
The colors of this Sabbat are black and orange. Black to represent the time of darkness after the death of the God (who is represented by fire and the sun) during an earlier sabbat known as Lughnasadh, and the waning of light during the day. Orange represents the awaiting of the dawn during Yule (Dec. 21st to Jan. 1st) when the God is reborn.
Jack O'Lanterns:
There is some debate about the origination of Jack-o-lanterns. One line suggests this custom originated from the lighting of candles for the dead to follow as they walked the earth. These candles were placed in hallowed out gourds and put on the ground to light the way.
Others suggest the practice originates from a Christianized Irish myth about a man nicknamed "Stingy Jack."
Stingy Jack and the Devil enter a pub to have a drink. Jack convinces the Devil to turn himself into a coin to pay for the drinks. But instead of using the coin, Jack slipped it into his pocket and next to a silver cross. The cross prevented the Devil from changing back into his original form. But Jack eventually freed the Devil, under the condition that he would not bother Jack for one year. And if Jack should die during that year, the Devil would not claim his soul. And the Devil agreed to these terms.
Jack again tricked the Devil. This time, the Devil climbed into a tree to pick a piece of fruit. While he was up in the tree, Jack carved a sign of the cross into the tree's bark so that the Devil could not come down. Once again, Jacked struck a bargain with the Devil. He would free the Devil from the tree if he promised not to bother Jack for ten more years. And if Jack died during those years, the Devil would not claim his soul. And the Devil again agreed to these terms.
Not long after this, Jack did indeed died. But because of his trickery, God would not allow him into heaven. In keeping his word not to take his soul, the Devil also would not allow Jack into hell. Instead, the Devil sent Jack out into the darkness of the world between worlds with nothing but a burning piece of coal. Jack placed the coal into a carved out turnip and has been roaming the Earth ever since. The Irish began to refer to Jack's ghostly figure as "Jack of the Lantern," and then, simply as "Jack O'Lantern."
The Irish and Scottish people began making lanterns by carving scary faces into turnips or potatoes and placing them into windows or near doors to frighten away the wandering evil spirits. In England, large beets were used. Immigrants from these countries brought the tradition to America where they found the pumpkin, a fruit native to America, that made the perfect jack o'lanterns.
Tricks & Treats:
Treats also originated from an old custom of leaving cookies and other foods out for those relatives to enjoy as they shared this one night of feasting. The 'trick' portion of "Trick or Treat" was an invention of the Christians. The tricks were supposedly caused by the dead who didn't receive a treat of food left for them when they arrived at your door.
The Contraversary of Samhain and Halloween
Sad to say there have been many fundamentalists who are inciting ignorance and bigotry into the celebrations of Halloween. No longer is Halloween a religious festival here in the US. It has become commercialized as an event for kids to have fun, play dress up and be scared by ghouls and ghosts. It has become nothing more than a secular holiday.
Those who have tried to link Halloween to Samhain are also missing the boat. As Halloween, All Hallows Eve are Christian created holidays devised by the early Churches of Europe as a means to convert pagans to Christianity. The celebrations were indeed taken from pagan practices, but their purposes have long since been corrupted and are no longer pagan in nature. Right down to being practiced on October 31st.
Some one asked me if I cared that a nearby town was attempting to change Halloween from October 31st to the last Friday of each October. My response is why should I mind? Halloween is a Christian holiday, do with it what you will.
The modern celebrations of Halloween do not take away or alter the spiritual significance of Samhain for pagan practitioners. Our Sabbat is still intact and still honored with reverence and in the traditional methods practiced by our ancient pagan ancestors. Though we don't make animal sacrifices any longer, there are some who will toss a steak into a bonfire as a symbolic gesture. The main focus of the holiday for pagans is still to honor our loved ones who have passed on and to share in communication with them during this time when the veil between worlds is narrowed.
Additional articles of interests:
Additional Reading:
In addition to the sources listed below that were used to write this article, you might also check out the following resources:
  • Natural History periodical - October 1983 p43-44
  • Pagan Celtic Britain by Anne Ross
  • Celtic Mythology by McCane
  • The Druids and Their Heritage by Ward Rutherford
  • The Black Arts by Richard Cavendish
  • Human Sacrifice by Lewis Spencer
  • The History and Origins of Druidism by Lewis Spencer

This article was written by http://www.paganspath.com/magik/samhain-history.htm