~Spooky and Witchy Things To Do For Halloween~

Halloween is a unique time for us magical types - while everyone else is out trick-or-treating, greeting small children in costume, or partying it up with fake blood and cocktails ala Zombie Pub Crawl - some of us are observing Samhain, the final harvest festival of the year. A night when the veil is thin and spirits on the other side cross over to visit us. The Witches' New Year.

Don't get me wrong, I love a good party and some effects makeup as much as anyone else though! Many of our modern Halloween traditions derive from the Celtic harvest festival of Samhain (roughly pronounced sow-en or sah-ven), including costumes, carving pumpkins, and bobbing for apples.

So, what are some witchy ways to celebrate Halloween? Never fear, I've got you covered:

Divination With Apples

Bobbing for apples is messy, so instead of ruining your glamorous (or scary?) Halloween makeup, try this easy form of divination - peel an apple and toss the whole peel, hopefully still in one piece, over your shoulder. The letter the peel most resembles is a hint to your true love's first name.

You could easily try a "Yes" or "No" approach with this. Ask a question before tossing the peel over your shoulder. If it looks more like a Y, the answer is yes. If it more closely resembles an N, the answer is no.

(If you didn't manage to peel the apple in one go, just use the longest piece of peel you have)

Dumb Supper

A dumb supper is traditionally a silent dinner party, but it doesn't have to be! Host a harvest themed dinner party for your friends and family, setting an extra plate for your dead loved ones or ancestors. Make sure to serve them as well and when the party is over, place the food and drink outside for the spirits (and natural elements) to partake.

Tarot Card Reading

If you or a friend has a tarot card deck, do a one-card drawing for yourself or said friend. Ask what you need to let go of in the coming year and pick your card. Reflect on it a while and consult the guide book for assistance if you're stumped.

For those a little more advanced or familiar with Tarot, google a three card spread you'd like to try and tailor your questions around the changing seasons for maximum Halloween effect!

Meditate on Ancestors

Loved ones who have passed are with us most strongly on or near Samhain. This guided meditation to get in touch with ancestral wisdom is a great one to follow for Halloween. If you're new to forms of meditation that go beyond mindfulness and quieting the mind, this one on Patheos is a great starting point.

Create a Halloween Altar

Clearing a space in your home, whether a shelf or the coffee table, devote the decor to Halloween. You can work with a black and orange color scheme or got for a Victorian Spiritualism approach with black and white photos of family members and some tall candles. Be creative!

Bonfire or Candle Magic

Write down a bad habit or something you want to let go of in the coming year on a small scrap of paper. Toss it into a bonfire (or cauldron, fireplace, or candle) and as it burns, imagine what you wrote down burning away to make room for something new and better if your life.

Visit a Cemetery

Cemeteries are often very peaceful places to visit. The Victorians were so into cemeteries they would host picnics and fly kites in them, so regular visits are neither macabre or weird, just respectful and mindful of those who have passed on. I'm sure the dead get lonely too!

Make Soul Cakes

According to Wikipedia, soul cakes are small round cakes traditionally made for All Hallow's Eve, All Saints Day and All Souls Day to commemorate the dead in the Christian tradition, but their history may date further back. Soul cakes can also be traced back as the beginning of trick-or-treating!

The Food Dictator has a fantastic and easy to follow recipe here: Irish Soul Cakes

What are your plans for Halloween - will you be doing any of these spooky, witchy activities?