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Samhain - Blog Posts
the energy tonight is so intense. cherish it, work with it, and most importantly, respect it.
this type of energy is rare. remember to light a candle to honor the blue moon, amidst whatever else you have planned for tonight.
happy samhain ✨🕯️
Happy All Souls Day and Joyous Samhain everyone!
Soul Cakes and Halloween Costumes
“Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble” - Witches’ Speech, Macbeth
End of October and early November is an interesting time of year. Marking the end of the harvest season, October 31st - November 2nd share four separate holidays:
Halloween on the 31st;
All-Saints Day on the 1st; and
All-Souls Day and Samhain on the 2nd.
For such an interesting time of year, it’s no wonder that recipes have appeared across time to commemorate each occasion.
Traditionally baked to celebrate All-Souls Day, Soul Cakes are sugar-cookie-esque spiced cookies (or biscuits) that are made with none of the vanilla extract, baking powder, or baking soda that we’re used to seeing in modern recipes. Rather, they rely on their interesting blend of spices to treat your taste buds!
If you’re looking for something to keep the Halloween season going at school or work even after the holiday has passed, bring in these cookies to snack on!
Have a safe and happy Halloween/ All-Saints Day/ All-Souls Day/ Samhain everyone!
P.S: The fox in the picture is named Elphaba!
(Adapted from Helen Best-Shaw’s Fuss Free Flavours and Cooking Journey Blog)
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Soul Cakes and Halloween Costumes
“Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble” - Witches’ Speech, Macbeth
End of October and early November is an interesting time of year. Marking the end of the harvest season, October 31st - November 2nd share four separate holidays:
Halloween on the 31st;
All-Saints Day on the 1st; and
All-Souls Day and Samhain on the 2nd.
For such an interesting time of year, it’s no wonder that recipes have appeared across time to commemorate each occasion.
Traditionally baked to celebrate All-Souls Day, Soul Cakes are sugar-cookie-esque spiced cookies (or biscuits) that are made with none of the vanilla extract, baking powder, or baking soda that we’re used to seeing in modern recipes. Rather, they rely on their interesting blend of spices to treat your taste buds!
If you’re looking for something to keep the Halloween season going at school or work even after the holiday has passed, bring in these cookies to snack on!
Have a safe and happy Halloween/ All-Saints Day/ All-Souls Day/ Samhain everyone!
P.S: The fox in the picture is named Elphaba!
(Adapted from Helen Best-Shaw’s Fuss Free Flavours and Cooking Journey Blog)
Prep: 10 mins Cook: 30 mins Overall: 40 mins
Ingredients*:
¼ cup + 3 tbsp. (100 g) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
2 egg yolks
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
1 pinch saffron or ground turmeric (for colour)
1 tsp. (2 g) all-spice
½ tsp. mixed spice**
2 ½ tbs. (35 ml) milk
50 g raisins***
* Makes enough for 15-18 2-inch (5 cm) diameter cookies or 24-27 ~2.6-inch (6.6 cm) diameter cookies.
** Mixed spice is a spice blend that includes cinnamon, coriander seed, caraway, nutmeg, ginger, ground cloves, and caraway. I don’t have access to this blend so I added ¼ tsp. cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves individually to make ½ tsp..
*** I didn’t have any regular raisins so I substituted for golden raisins.
To start, preheat the oven to 360℉ (180℃) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Next, in a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.
Then, whisk in the egg yolks.
Add flour, all-spice, mixed spice, and milk and stir until the dough holds together.
After, stir in the raisins until they are well distributed.
Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and roll it out to about o.6-inch (¼ cm) thickness. Then, cut the dough in circles using a cookie cutter.
Recombine and re-roll any dough scraps to get the most cookies possible!
Place the dough circles on the parchment-lined baking sheet - leaving space between each cookie. Cut a plus-sign (or cross) shape on each cookie (adding the raisin is optional).
Bake on the middle oven rack for 15-20 mins - rotating the pan halfway through - until they are golden brown. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Overall, I would give this recipe a 5/5. The spices used in the cookies made for a different and delicious spin on the sugary cookies we’re used to nowadays. I had a lot of fun diving into this medieval British treat and hope to try more in the future!
Happy Halloween/All-Saints Day/ All-Souls Day/ Samhain!
Ways to Celebrate Samhain
Since ancient times people have celebrated this wonderful fall holiday. However, the way it is celebrated has changed many times over the years. So how do you celebrate this spooky season?
What is Samhain?
Pronounced SAH-Wen. In case you missed it, I have a post explaining what Samhain is here. :)
How do witches and pagans celebrate?
There are many ways to celebrate this fire festival. This list consists of the ways I personally celebrate Samhain, as well as ways that are commonly practiced in the witchcraft community.
Have a bonfire! One of the more common and ancient ways is to have a bonfire with your community! This could mean your neighborhood or just you and some of your friends and family.
If you're more of an introverted type having a little hearth fire or even lighting a candle can work just as well to embody the spirit of Samhain!
Cooking and baking fall foods, especially if you use things you've harvested yourself works wonders for a Samhain celebration.
Making mulled wine or spiced cider (virgin options are just as good here).
Have a feast with the wine/cider and foods you're making! Invite your friends and family over. Remember, they don't have to witches to enjoy a good meal and some homemade BOOze.
Decorate your altar with fall items like leaves, acorns, pinecones, a cool stick, whatever calls to you!
Make a temporary altar for the Samhain celebration for offerings.
Speaking of which: Give offerings to your deities, ancestors, spirits, or other deities that are associated with the season.
If you're comfortable and experienced, talk with the dead. Whether it's your grandma or that nice ghost chilling near your home, say hello! The veil between our world and theirs is thinner this time of year. Invite them to join in on your feast. Catch them up on your life events or the latest drama!
Cleanse your space-literally and metaphysically. You don't need to do a deep clean, but taking a broom or the vacuum to your floors and dusting off your shelves is a great way to make you feel cleaner on the inside too! Take an incense, incense spray, or smoke bundle (of appropriate herbs) and use them accordingly to cleanse your house. DO NOT USE CLOSED PRACTICES OR THEIR HERBS unless you're apart of that culture. Do research on the herbs you have if you're not sure.
You can also find plenty of wonderful rituals, spells, or recipes online, just make sure you do research on herbs and practices so that you don't hurt yourself.
Practice fire safety!
If you have anything to add, please let me know, I'd love to hear how other people are celebrating Samhain this year.
Happy Hallow’s Eve 🎃
Figured I’d draw something for the occasion, what better than some of my ocs with the embodiment of Hallow’s Eve himself?
I got inspired by a post from @hazbinhazmeinachokehold (and I’ve been watching too many horror movies lately)
This was a lot of fun and I’m honestly sad that there’s not much art of Sam from trick r treat. And with how many still life’s we’ve been doing, I’ve had no room for creative freedom, so this feels so good because I can actually do something I want to do. Also can I just say that I freaking LOVE Carmilla Carmine? I just love how maternal and loving she is as a mother towards her daughters, & Vaggie, along with how protective she is of her close friends like Zestial, I just love characters like that. Actually, her motherly personality is probably the reason Sam would like her so much. Just be like; “I like you, you’re my mom pillow now.”
College has been kicking my ass so this was a big relief for me.
(Also I’m having that problem again where any photos/screenshots I take and post on tumblr, are all blurry so I hope you can see and read it okay, sorry)
🍮 Witchcraft Shopping List 🐻
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Candles!!!~ 🕯️✨
Book of Shadows!! 📓♥️
Some stationery!! 🖋️✏️✨
Stickers! 💸🌘
Calendar (a small and cute one!) 🗓️
Incense~ ✨
Small utensils (人 •͈ᴗ•͈)
Gluesticks
✨ That's it!!~ ♥️
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I ABSOLUTELY LOOOVVEEEE GRAVEYARD AESTHETIC AAAAHHHHHHH
It's Diwali + Samhain and I tried to look soft with a hint of spooks but I ended up looking like if Raquel (from Barbie) was real and was a witch lmao
happy halloween & ieroween everyone <33
Buncha doodles of Magnolia and her kids while I procrastinate on finishing my comics.
I love them.
Maggie and (some of) her little family.
She collects horror kids like Pokémon 💀
I love silly little fanchildren rahhhh 🏌♂️💜
I was explaining Samhain to some friends
10 Ways to Celebrate Halloween with NASA
There’s a whole universe of mysteries out there to put some fun—and maybe a touch of fright—into your All Hallows Eve festivities. Here are a few:
1. Universe of Monsters
Mythical monsters of Earth have a tough time of it. Vampires don’t do sunlight. Werewolves must wait for a full Moon to howl. Now, thanks to powerful space telescopes, some careful looking and a lot of whimsy, NASA scientists have found suitable homes for the most terrifying Halloween monsters.
2. Be a Spacecraft
No costume. No problem. NASA Blueshift offers some handy tips on transforming yourself into a powerful space telescope before hitting the sidewalk to trick-or-treat.
3. Robot Pumpkins
At Halloween, engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory craft dramatic creations that have as much in common with standard jack-o'-lanterns as paper airplanes do with NASA spacecraft. The unofficial pumpkin carving contest gives engineers a chance to flex their creative muscles and bond as a team. The rules are simple: no planning, carving or competing during work hours.
The results? See for yourself!
Can’t wait to see this year’s creations? Do it yourself!
4. Skull Comet
Scientists think a large space rock that zipped past Earth on Halloween in 2015 was most likely a dead comet or an asteroid that, fittingly, bore an eerie resemblance to a skull.
"The object might be a dead comet, but in the (radar) images it appears to have donned a skull costume for its Halloween flyby," said NASA scientist Kelly Fast,
As with a lot of spooky things, the asteroid looked a lot less scary upon closer inspection.
5. Spooky Sun
Not to be outdone, the Sun—our star—has been known to put on a scary face.
In this October 2014 Solar Dynamic Observatory image, active regions on the Sun combined to look something like a jack-o-lantern’s face.
The active regions appear brighter because those are areas that emit more light and energy—markers of an intense and complex set of magnetic fields hovering in the Sun’s atmosphere, the corona. This image blends together two sets of wavelengths at 171 and 193 angstroms, typically colorized in gold and yellow, to create a particularly Halloween-like appearance.
6. Halloween on a Mission
Halloween held a special significance for NASA’s Cassini mission, which launched in October 1997. The team held its own elaborate pumpkin carving competitions for many years. The mission also shared whimsical Halloween greetingswith its home planet.
Cassini ended its extended mission at Saturn in 2017.
7. The Ghost of Cassiopeia
The brightest stars embedded in nebulae throughout our galaxy pour out a torrent of radiation that eats into vast clouds of hydrogen gas – the raw material for building new stars. This etching process sculpts a fantasy landscape where human imagination can see all kinds of shapes and figures. This nebula in the constellation of Cassiopeia has flowing veils of gas and dust that have earned it the nickname "Ghost Nebula."
8. They’re Everywhere
Turns out the human mind—including space scientists and engineers among us—find spooky shapes in many places.
This infrared view of the Helix Nebula reminded astronomers of a zombie eyeball.
9. What Do You See?
The Oct. 26 Earth Observatory’s Puzzler feature offers a spooky shape for your consideration. What is it and what does it look like? You tell us.
10. Space Candy
The trick-or-treat tradition is still—so far—pretty much confined to Earth. But thanks to the men and women who have been living aboard the International Space Station for more than 17 years, we have a preview of what a future space-based trick-or-treater’s Halloween candy haul would look like in microgravity.
Bonus: 11. Want More?
Our education team offers a bunch more Halloween activities, including space-themed pumpkin stencils, costume tips and even some mysteries to solve like a scientist or engineer.
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com.
Halloween, Oíche Shamhna, Lá Samhna, Neo-Pagan Samhain, Día de Muertos, La Calabiuza, and my birthday. An actual 13th blue moon to close out the Witch's Year on the Neo-Pagan New Year that is Samhain?! I'm not Wiccan but I can't wait to see what that magic brings regardless. An eclipse coming as well. Woo! Action packed next few days! The Ancestors and Mighty Dead have been very strong and active this Dead Season. La Santísima and Her Husband Mictlantecuhtli really out here ready to shower in miracles. Can't wait to see what the future brings! May one book close and another more blessed narrative begin. A new story, new chapter open up.
Celebrating for my 1st time
Samhain (Oct 31 - Nov 1)
Also known as witches new year, marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, the nights are long and it is getting colder. The harvest is celebrated and we express our gratitude. Samhain is also a celebration to honor ancestors and contact the deceased, as the veil is thin and makes communication easier.
Correspondences for Samhain: Symbols of Samhain | pumpkins, bats, spiders, cobwebs, witches, broomsticks, skeletons. Colors | Black, orange, white, silver, purple. Spells | Gratitude, releasing, honoring, abundance, communication, protection. Crystals | Amethyst, onyx, obsidian, smokey quartz. Herbs and flowers | Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Rosemary, Sandalwood. Food | Apple pie, pears, pumpkins, nuts, grains, bread, vegetables, soups, stews, candy, ciders. Activities | Honoring ancestors, letting go, celebrating, baking, visiting cemetery, trick or treating, watching horror movies, dumb supper, séances.
#samhain #CondadoCelta #DarknessDay #rpg #LobisomemOApocalipse #halloween #MestreRPG #Bruxa #Bloqueirando #Instaself (em Cidade dos Funcionários) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpuCOFxDWTn/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1wrhcbi3me5pb
Palestra sobre o #Livro Fortaleza Cidade das Sombras V.1 @figasoficial Muito obrigada pela presença. #samhain #CondadoCelta #DarknessDay #rpg (em Condado Celta) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bpt5zDXj8Sl/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1sby677swohi7
SAMHAIN
By far the best known Gaelic festival, Samhain marked the end of summer in Ireland, when assemblies were held and the cattle were brought to winter pastures. The traditional (though contested) date is usually given as November 1st, with festivities beginning at dusk on October 31st. Like with Bealtaine, the festival of Samhain is marked by bonfires and an emphasis on protection from Otherworldly forces. Syncretism with All Hallow's Eve resulted in many traditions involving the dead or the Daoine Sidhe roaming the lands on Samhain, looking to snatch away or otherwise harm those who did not observe the proper rites. As such, the wearing of disguises and the creation of charms were meant to ward away unwanted attention. Divination games were also common on Samhain, primarily concerning matters of love and marriage. Hiding trinkets such as coins or rings in plates of food and loaves of bread was the most popular method, although apples and hazelnuts were also employed. Samhain is also the setting for many of Irish mythology's most famous tales, especially stories of wooings and conceptions. Modern Scottish tradition associates Samhain with the Cailleach, the hag of winter, who rules over the colder months. The Brugh na Boinne was particularly associated with Samhain, and modern folklore describes it as the site of battles, feasts, and games carried out by the Daoine Sidhe on Samhain night. This piece features a deer skull to evoke the deer herd of the Cailleach and the traditions surrounding death, with crossed swords and the Brugh na Boinne for the Daoine Sidhe. Loaves of bannock and barmbrack, along with nuts and apples, encompass the culinary aspects of the holiday, and the quaich cup (a common sight at weddings) and divinatory trinkets hint at its more romantic overtones. Finally, bonfire flames, a carved tumshie lantern, and a parshell cross serve as charms to ward away Otherworldly dangers. Lá Fhéile Shamhna sona daoibh!
Day 29, 30 and the last two are 31!!! Happy Halloween all!!!! I made it!!!
Days 20-28 of Nawnii’s drawtober as the days got on and I realized I was almost to the end I kind of wondered what I was going to do after this prompt list was over...