To all my readers who follow the Old Path, I wish you a Happy Samhain.*  May the turning of the year bring you peace, serenity, and joy.  BB.

*Samhain (pronounced Sow-when) is an ancient Celtic festival of the new year, marking the beginning of winter. It celebrates both the turning of the year and the day on which the veil between the worlds (this world and the next) is at its thinnest and spirits may pass from one to the next. In agrarian societies, it is the time when the harvest is complete and food has been stored for the winter. Animals which cannot be fed all winter are slaughtered and the meat stored. Life and death hangs in the balance for all nature. It is the direct antecedent of the Feasts of All Saints (and it’s Vigil, All Hallows Eve — Halloween) and All Souls (celebrated in many Latin countries as Dia de los Muertos — the Day of the Dead).

So, in addition to handing out candy to the goblins and superheroes who come to your door, take a moment to think about the earth entering her dormancy, those who will suffer from hunger and cold this winter, those who will pass through the veil this day, and those who feel the loss of those who have passed. Halloween — it’s not just about candy.